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PHONE: 0800 866 871E-MAIL: info@tectonus.com
PHONE: 0800 866 871E-MAIL: info@tectonus.com
5e851bfd66d831a2088a6f0c_Tectonus.hvhh shearwall

SEISMIC DAMPERS FOR BUILDINGS

Tectonus solutions dampen and self-center all in one, providing continuous protection through aftershocks, and limiting residual drift to below 0.1%. In doing so, building owners and occupiers reduce the risk of injury and death, minimize post-quake damage, and experience less downtime than their peers in a significant seismic event.

DEMONSTRATED OUTCOMES In a 3-level concrete shear wall and steel brace frame building built in Christchurch, New Zealand.
1.35 Overstrength Factor
144T Concrete Reduced
1.25% Design Drift
1mm Residual Drift

Applications

Tectonus connections should be considered part of the structure rather than an additional system, delivering energy dissipation and self-centering all in one. Applied in new and retrofit buildings, paired with concrete, timber and steel, the devices are extremely flexible and scalable from 50 to 5,000kN (10 to 1125kips).
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Timber Braces
Timber Braces
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Steel Braces
Steel Braces
TOUCH
Concrete Shearwalls
Concrete Shearwalls
TOUCH
Timber Shearwalls
Timber Shearwalls
TOUCH
Tension Braces
Tension Braces
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Moment Resisting Frames
Moment Resisting Frames

“We were interested in adopting new technology that would both reduce potential future earthquake damage but also allow the space to be re-occupied much faster than might be the case in a more conventionally designed building.”

Wayne Lawson
Senior Project Manager, Lincoln University

Tectonus Device

The device consists of two outer plates and two center plates with elongated holes. The outer cap plates and the center plates are grooved and clamped together with high-strength bolts and disc springs.   
 
  • Not steel on steel - a proprietary surface treatment is used
  • Bolts only work in tension 
  • Cap plate can’t “jump” the ridge 
  • At Fult , disc springs are fully flattened 
  • Gap allows compression and deformation 
  • All parts remain elastic up to Fult 
  • Device returns to “rest” position every time 

How it works

When the applied force overcomes the frictional resistance between the sloped bearing surfaces, the center plates start to slide and energy will be dissipated through friction during sliding cycles. 
 
The patented shape of the plate ridges and the use of disc springs and high-strength bolts, provides the self-centering behavior. The angle of the grooves is designed such that at the time of unloading, the reversing force induced by the elastically compacted disc springs is larger than the friction force acting between the facing surfaces. That way, the system is recentered upon unloading. 

Hysteretic performance

The Tectonus device’s compact and scalable configuration offers design freedom for any application. 

The device is exceptionally scalable and can be implemented in all types of projects involving various materials and configurations. Any flag shape response can be achieved.

The device load deformation is geometrically non-linear and all parts remain within their material elastic range within the design earthquake.

The device provides 10 to 15% hysteretic damping depending on the range of deformation specified. All parts of the device are capacity designed. 

FEATURED PROJECTS

With over 20 projects successfully delivered with some of the most innovative structural designers on the planet, we're building a pipeline of projects in USA, Canada, Japan and New Zealand.  Perhaps your project will be next?