A discretely damped SDOF model for the rocking response of freestanding blocks

This paper presents a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) constitutive model for assessing the performance of freestanding block contents of buildings. The model incorporates a bespoke damper to account for energy dissipation associated with rocking. It is advantageous in its direct correlation, via energy conservation, to the restitution coefficient for impact during rocking. A comparative study with the existing SDOF rocking models shows that the proposed model significantly improves the accuracy of free-rocking simulations, in which inherent damping predominantly affects response. It provides a promising and efficient tool for computationally intensive performance evaluation of nonstructural components.