European Commission

Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel

Technical Group: TGS8

FREE from DAMage steel connections

FREEDAM

Vincenzo Piluso
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno
Via Giovanni Paolo II,132 – Fisciano (SA) - Italy

Gianvittorio Rizzano, Rosario Montuori, Massimo Latour,

Antonella Bianca Francavilla, Elide Nastri, Giovanni Ferrante Cavallaro, Sabatino Di Benedetto
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno
Via Giovanni Paolo II,132 – Fisciano (SA) - Italy

Luís Simões da Silva, Aldina Santiago, Ana Francisca Santos

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Coimbra
Rua Luis Reis Santos – Polo II – Coimbra - Portugal

Maria Gabriella Castellano, Danilo Di Fusco

FIP Industriale S.p.A.
Via Scapacchiò, 41 – Selvazzano Dentro (PD) - Italy

Jean-Pierre Jaspart, Jean-Francois Demonceau, Marina D’Antimo

Department of Architecture, Geology, Environment and Construction, University of Liege
Chemin des Chevreuils, 1 B52/3, Liege, 4000 - Belgium

Raffaele Landolfo, Mario D’Aniello, Mariana Zimbru

Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II
Via Toledo, 402 – Napoli - Italy

José Manuel Silva, Igor Guerra

O Feliz Metalomecanica
Avenida de S.Lourenco, 41 – Braga - Portugal

RFSR-CT-2015-00022

1st July 2015 – 30th June 2018

Final Report
Abstract
The objective of the research program FREEDAM (FREE from DAMage steel connections) is the
development of a novel strategy based on the introduction of connections in steel Moment Resisting
Frames (MRFs) able to withstand without any damage inelastic rotation demands occurring under
destructive seismic events. Such innovative beam-to-column connections are equipped with friction
dampers located at the bottom beam flange level to dissipate the earthquake input energy.
During the three years of duration of the project, a significant experimental and numerical work has been
carried out. The work done has allowed proposing new design rules for MRFs equipped with FREEDAM
joints, with a focus on the seismic performance and progressive collapse issues. The research consortium,
in the final part of the project, has concentrated all the efforts on linking the research work with the
market. To this scope, prototypes of FREEDAM connections to be industrially produced have been
designed, realized and tested and a catalogue for the practical and simple selection of the industrialized
devices has been provided. In the months of May and June 2018, the research results have been
disseminated through two workshops organized in Coimbra and Salerno.
In conclusion, the research project was successful developing a new design strategy and technology for
the construction of steel structures with highly increased reliability against seismic loadings, robustness in
case of exceptional events such as explosions, impacts, etc., and significantly improved sustainability.