Energy Dissipation and Damping Mechanisms in Steel–Concrete Composite Frames under Seismic Loading

Abstract

Steel–concrete composite frames combine the ductility and tensile strength of steel with the compressive strength and mass of reinforced concrete, producing structural systems with favorable seismic performance. Understanding the mechanisms of energy dissipation and effective damping modeling is essential for accurate seismic response prediction and resilient design. This paper presents: (1) a comprehensive literature review of damping sources and energy dissipation mechanisms in composite frames, (2) a unified analytical and numerical framework to quantify hysteretic, material, and supplemental device-based dissipation, and (3) a parametric nonlinear time-history study on prototypical mid-rise composite frames comparing intrinsic hysteretic damping, Rayleigh viscous damping representations, and external energy dissipators (e.g., metallic yielding dampers, buckling-restrained braces, viscoelastic and magnetorheological devices). Key findings show that (i) hysteretic energy from local yielding (beam plastic hinges, joint slips, concrete crushing) dominates global energy dissipation in well-detailed composite frames, (ii) equivalent viscous (Rayleigh) damping can misrepresent energy partitioning and residual drifts unless calibrated against hysteretic models, and (iii) adding well-placed dissipaters (BRBs, yielding fuses) significantly reduces interstory drifts and residual deformations while increasing cumulative energy dissipation. Recommendations are provided for modeling strategies, design detailing to enhance energy dissipation capacity, and directions for further experimental validation.