• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.51-62
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• 2016

The concept of introducing viscous damping devices between outriggers and perimeter columns in tall buildings to provide supplementary damping and improve performance, reduce structural costs, and increase available usable area was developed and implemented by Smith and Willford (2007). It was recognized that the relative vertical movement that would occur between the ends of outriggers and columns, if they were not connected, could be used to generate damping. The movements, and correspondingly damping, can potentially be significantly increased by amplifying them using simple "mechanisms". The mechanisms also make it possible to increase the number of available dampers and thus further increase supplementary damping. The feasibility of mechanisms to amplify supplementary damping and enhance structural performance of tall, slender buildings is studied with particular focus on its efficacy in improving structural performance in wind loads.