PSI - Issue 78

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 153–160

© 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of XX ANIDIS Conference organizers Keywords: Scissor Toggle Brace Dampers; Seismic Protection; Structural Bracing; Energy Dissipation; Capacity Curves. Abstract This study investigates the enhancement of structural seismic protection through Toggle Brace Dampers (TBDs), an innovative bracing system designed to maximize energy dissipation. Despite increasing interest over recent decades, the behaviour of TBDs remains partially understood. In particular, the study investigates the influence of the axial behaviour of braces in Scissor-Toggle configurations, aiming to understand how this affects the dynamic response of the system. In particular, the research focuses on the amplification factor , defined as the ratio between the displacement transmitted to the dissipative element and the seismic displacement of the main structure, analyzing how varies with changes in axial stiffness. Achieving a high amplification factor requires a thorough analysis of its definition and influencing parameters, including rod deformability and the stiffness ratio within the toggle mechanism. Different configurations of the scissor toggle brace damper are examined via pushover analyses performed with SAP2000, producing amplification factor – displacement curves. Results indicate that the scissor toggle configuration featuring a 9° internal inclination angle and direct connection to the beam-column joint yields optimal performance. However, due to rod deformability, the activation of the dissipative element is delayed, reducing effectiveness at low displacement levels compared to traditional diagonal bracing systems. Therefore, TBDs demonstrate clear advantages only when carefully designed, with system performance strongly dependent on parameter selection, especially support placement. Further studies are recommended to refine design methodologies and enhance understanding of critical influencing factors. XX ANIDIS Conference Influence of the axial behaviour of braces in the scissor-toggle configurations Maria Maglio 1, *, Martina della Corte 1 , Alessandro Pisapia 2 , Elide Nastri 1 , Rosario Montuori 1 , Vincenzo Piluso 1 1 University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, Fisciano 84084, Italy 2 Pegaso University, Centro Direzionale, Napoli 80143, Italy

* Corresponding author. E-mail address: mamaglio@unisa.it

2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of XX ANIDIS Conference organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2025.12.020