High axial elongation capability can quickly repair self-resetting energy dissipation support device and method

Abstract

This invention provides a self-resetting energy-dissipating support device and method with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair capability, relating to the field of energy-dissipating devices. Addressing the limitations of existing self-resetting supports in axial deformation capacity and the susceptibility of the resetting system to eccentric damage, this invention mechanically connects prestressed tendons and a spring-loaded component in series. During the device's stretching process, the elastic elongation deformation of the prestressed tendons and the compressive deformation of the spring-loaded component occur simultaneously and are superimposed. The large-stroke compression of the spring-loaded component compensates for insufficient tendon elongation, achieving high axial deformation without causing yielding or breakage of the prestressed tendons, significantly improving the seismic safety redundancy of the structure. Furthermore, by allowing the prestressed tendons to pass through the center of the spring-loaded component and cooperating with a guide to transmit force, the prestressed tendons act as both tension cables and central guide rods during the compression process of the spring-loaded component. This ensures that the spring-loaded component is always subjected to uniform axial pressure, reducing lateral buckling and local jamming, and improving the mechanical stability and fatigue life of the resetting system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of energy-consuming devices, specifically to a high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable, self-resetting energy-consuming support device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Self-centering energy-dissipating braces, due to their excellent self-centering ability and stable energy dissipation characteristics, can effectively control the maximum deformation of a structure under seismic loading and significantly reduce residual deformation after an earthquake, thereby improving the seismic toughness of the building structure. A typical self-centering brace usually consists of an inner and outer sleeve system, a prestressed elastic system that provides centering capability, and a damping system that provides energy dissipation, aiming to achieve the dual goals of both dissipating seismic energy and guiding the structure back to its initial position under strong earthquake loading.

[0003] Although self-centering energy dissipation braces are relatively mature in theoretical research, they still have some shortcomings in practical engineering applications. Axial elongation capacity (deformation capacity) is one of the key factors limiting the performance of self-centering energy dissipation braces. Traditional self-centering systems mostly rely on the elastic elongation of the prestressed tendons themselves to provide deformation space, and their ultimate deformation is often limited by the physical length of the support member. To overcome this limitation and achieve higher axial elongation, existing solutions usually employ complex mechanical structures to increase elongation or introduce new materials such as shape memory alloys (SMA) and fiber-reinforced composites (FRP). However, these attempts often face problems in engineering practice, such as overly complex structural construction, high manufacturing costs of new materials, and easy slippage failure at the anchorage ends of composite fiber tendons, making it difficult to balance economy and reliability. Furthermore, the damage recovery capability of self-resetting energy dissipation supports is closely related to the efficiency of energy dissipation device replacement. Existing products mostly encapsulate energy dissipation components internally, which provides some protection for the components, but makes it impossible to visually detect the internal damage status after an earthquake. In addition, there are problems such as cumbersome disassembly and difficult installation. In particular, post-earthquake damage to important buildings such as hospitals, schools, important industrial plants, and substations will cause serious casualties and economic losses. It is necessary to strictly control the degree of post-earthquake damage and the post-earthquake recovery capability. Once the core components of current energy dissipation supports are damaged, the entire support often needs to be removed for repair, which cannot meet the engineering requirements of rapid in-situ repair and low-cost maintenance after an earthquake. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a self-resetting energy-consuming support device and method with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair capability, aiming to solve the problems of limited axial deformation capacity of existing self-resetting supports, susceptibility of the reset system to eccentric damage, and difficulty in post-earthquake repair.

[0005] The first objective of this invention is to provide a self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair capability, which adopts the following solution: It includes an inner tube and an outer tube sleeved outside the inner tube. The fixed end of the inner tube is connected to a first guide member, the free end of the inner tube is slidably engaged with a second guide member, the free end of the outer tube is slidably engaged with the first guide member, and the fixed end of the outer tube is fixed to the second guide member. The first guide member has a first end plate that slides on it, and the second guide member has a second end plate that slides on it. One end of the prestressing tendon passes through the center of the spring and is connected to the guide member, so that the spring abuts against the first end plate under compression. The other end passes through the channel between the inner tube and the outer tube, the second end plate, and then through another spring and is connected to another guide member, so that the other spring abuts against the second end plate under compression. The prestressing tendon remains in tension. Under prestress, the first end plate can simultaneously abut against the fixed end of the inner tube and the free end of the outer tube, and the second end plate can simultaneously abut against the fixed end of the outer tube and the free end of the inner tube. The first guide member and the second guide member are connected outside the outer tube by an energy-dissipating component to work together with the prestressed tendons to resist changes in the spacing between the first guide member and the second guide member.

[0006] Furthermore, the spring-loaded component is formed by stacking multiple disc springs along the axial direction. One end of the spring-loaded component abuts against the first end plate or the second end plate through a pad, and the other end abuts against the guide, so that the multiple disc springs are located between the guide and the pad. The prestressed tendons pass through the center of the multiple disc springs constituting the spring-loaded component in sequence and then connect to the guide.

[0007] Furthermore, multiple prestressing tendons are inserted into the channel between the inner tube and the outer tube. The multiple prestressing tendons are distributed circumferentially along the axis of the inner tube, and each prestressing tendon is fitted with a guide and a spring-loaded component at both ends.

[0008] Furthermore, the first guide member and the second guide member are combined plate members with a cross-shaped cross section and have multiple limb plates. Multiple sliding grooves for sliding fit limb plates are respectively opened on the inner tube and the outer tube, and multiple sliding fits are formed between the inner tube and the second guide member, and between the outer tube and the first guide member.

[0009] Furthermore, multiple fixing grooves for connecting limb plates are respectively opened on the inner tube and the outer tube, and multiple fixed connections are formed between the inner tube and the first guide member, the outer tube and the second guide member.

[0010] Furthermore, the first guide member is slidably passed through the first end plate, the second guide member is slidably passed through the second end plate, and the energy dissipation component is located between the first end plate and the second end plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the energy-consuming component includes an energy-consuming plate, with both ends of the energy-consuming plate detachably mounted on the first guide and the second guide, respectively.

[0012] Furthermore, multiple energy-dissipating plates are connected between the first guide member and the second guide member, and the multiple energy-dissipating plates are distributed circumferentially along the inner tube axis.

[0013] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for operating a self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity that can be quickly repaired, utilizing the self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity as described in the first objective, comprising: When the first guide member and the second guide member are pulled away from each other by a tensile force, the first guide member drives the inner tube to push the first end plate outward, and the second guide member drives the outer tube to push the second end plate outward. The first end plate separates from the free end of the outer tube, and the second end plate separates from the free end of the inner tube. Due to the guides at both ends of the prestressing tendon restricting the displacement of the spring-loaded component, the outwardly moving first and second end plates compress the spring-loaded component inward. The prestressing tendon is under tension and produces elastic elongation, while the spring-loaded component is under compression and produces compressive deformation, accumulating elastic potential energy. The prestressing tendon and the spring-loaded component are in a series stress state, and the deformation of the two is superimposed to jointly provide the axial elongation capacity of the device. At the same time, the energy-dissipating components connected to the outside of the two guides are stretched as the distance increases, providing damping and dissipating energy. When the external force is unloaded, under the restoring force of the spring and the prestressed tendon, the first end plate pushes the inner tube and the second end plate pushes the outer tube. The inner tube and the outer tube move closer to each other under the pushing of the first end plate and the second end plate until the first end plate re-abuts the free end of the outer tube and the second end plate re-abuts the free end of the inner tube. At this point, the device eliminates the tensile deformation, and the energy-consuming components are reset.

[0014] Furthermore, when the device is subjected to axial tension but the tension has not yet overcome the prestressing force of the prestressing tendon, the first end plate, under the action of prestress, remains in simultaneous contact with the fixed end of the inner tube and the free end of the outer tube; similarly, the second end plate also remains in simultaneous contact with the fixed end of the outer tube and the free end of the inner tube; no relative displacement has occurred between the first guide member and the second guide member, the energy dissipation component is in an elastic stress but energy dissipation state, and the device as a whole exhibits a rigid connection; After the initial loading of the energy-consuming component, the core energy-consuming board of the energy-consuming component enters the plastic stage.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of this invention are: To address the limitations of existing self-resetting supports in axial deformation capacity and the susceptibility of the resetting system to eccentric damage, a mechanism for increasing deformation capacity by connecting prestressed tendons and spring-loaded components in series is constructed. This overcomes the limitation of support length on deformation capacity. By mechanically arranging the prestressed tendons and spring-loaded components in series, during the tensioning process, the elastic elongation deformation of the prestressed tendons and the compressive deformation of the spring-loaded components occur simultaneously and are superimposed. This means that the total axial elongation capacity of the device no longer depends solely on the length of the prestressed tendons, but rather on the large-stroke compression of the spring-loaded components to compensate for insufficient tendon elongation. Even under short support conditions, high axial deformation can be achieved without causing prestressed tendon yielding or fracture, significantly improving the seismic safety redundancy of the structure. Furthermore, by having the prestressed tendons pass through the center of the spring-loaded components and cooperate with the guide components to transmit force, the prestressed tendons act as both tension cables and central guide rods during the compression process of the spring-loaded components, reducing eccentric bending moments and ensuring that the spring-loaded components are always subjected to uniform axial compression. This reduces lateral buckling and local jamming, improving the mechanical stability and fatigue life of the resetting system.

[0016] Addressing the challenges of high repair difficulty and inability to meet the requirements of rapid in-situ repair in existing self-resetting energy-dissipating supports, this paper proposes a new design. This design incorporates an inner and outer tube capable of relative axial movement. A first guide connected to the fixed end of the inner tube and a second guide connected to the fixed end of the outer tube form a relative motion interface. This interface, combined with a self-resetting system composed of prestressed tendons and end plates, places the energy-dissipating components outside the outer tube, between the first and second guides. During operation, the spacing between the two guides changes, driving the externally connected energy-dissipating components to deform and dissipate energy, while the internal prestressed self-resetting system operates independently. This design alters the traditional structure, achieving spatial separation of energy dissipation and structural restoration functions. After an earthquake, there is no need to unload the support or disassemble the tube body. The yield damage of the external energy-dissipating components can be directly observed, and low-cost, high-efficiency in-situ rapid disassembly and replacement can be achieved, effectively solving the engineering challenge of rapid functional restoration of building structures after an earthquake.

[0017] The system employs a first and second guide member with a cross-shaped cross section, along with corresponding limb plate grooves and fixing grooves on the inner and outer tubes. Utilizing the multi-directional limiting characteristics of the cross-shaped limb plates, the connection between the inner and outer tubes is transformed from simple surface contact to multi-limb embedded fit. This achieves free axial sliding while restricting circumferential rotational freedom, enhancing the torsional stability of the support during reciprocating stress processes, ensuring the smooth operation of the tension-compression conversion mechanism, and evenly distributing the axial load to the tube wall through the multi-limb plates. This effectively avoids premature yielding of components caused by local stress concentration and improves the overall mechanical reliability of the support.

[0018] Multiple energy-dissipating panels are distributed circumferentially along the inner tube axis and can be detachably installed. Utilizing the geometric characteristics of the symmetrical arrangement, the damping forces generated by the multiple energy-dissipating panels cancel each other out the additional bending moment at the center of the cross section, retaining pure axial resistance. At the same time, modular assembly is achieved, which not only ensures that the support body remains in a state of tension and compression under stress, avoiding unexpected instability caused by eccentric bending moment, but also improves flexibility. The damping force can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of energy-dissipating panels according to seismic requirements. Moreover, after an earthquake, due to the uniform stress, the damage of each energy-dissipating panel tends to be consistent, which facilitates rapid batch replacement. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a self-resetting energy-consuming support device with high axial elongation capacity that can be quickly repaired, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a self-resetting energy-consuming support device with high axial elongation capability that can be quickly repaired, according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of various states of the high axial elongation capacity self-resetting energy-consuming support device with rapid repair capability in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hysteresis model of a self-resetting energy-consuming support device with high axial elongation capability that can be quickly repaired in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 The hysteresis curve of the self-resetting energy-consuming support device with high axial elongation capability can be quickly repaired in one or more embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] Among them, 1. First guide member; 2. Second guide member; 3. Outer tube; 4. Free end of outer tube; 5. Fixed end of outer tube; 6. First end plate; 7. Second end plate; 8. Prestressed tendon; 9. Rebound member; 10. Energy dissipation component; 11. Inner tube; 12. Fixed end of inner tube; 13. Free end of inner tube; 14. Slide groove; 15. Fixed groove; 16. Pad; 17. Disc spring; 18. Guide member; 19. Lid plate; 20. Energy dissipation plate. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Example 1 In a typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1-5 As shown, a self-resetting energy-consuming support device with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair is presented.

[0027] Traditional self-resetting energy dissipation supports, in practical applications, are often limited by the elastic deformation capacity of the prestressed tendons, resulting in insufficient axial elongation and a high risk of tendon fracture during earthquakes. Furthermore, the built-in design of the energy dissipation device presents challenges for post-earthquake maintenance. Therefore, this embodiment provides a self-resetting energy dissipation support device with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair capability. By constructing a deformation-increasing mechanism involving prestressed tendons 8 and resilient elements 9 connected in series, it overcomes the limitation of support length on deformation capacity and achieves rapid recovery after an earthquake without disassembling the support or internal components.

[0028] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the high axial elongation capacity, rapid repair, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device mainly includes an inner tube 11, an outer tube 3, a first guide 1, a second guide 2, a prestressed tendon 8, and an energy-dissipating component 10.

[0029] The outer tube 3 is fitted over the inner tube 11, with a gap between the inner wall of the outer tube 3 and the outer wall of the inner tube 11 forming a channel for the prestressing tendons 8 to pass through. One end of the inner tube 11 is a fixed end 12, and the other end is a free end 13. The fixed end 12 is connected to a first guide member 1, and the free end 13 is slidably engaged with a second guide member 2. Similarly, one end of the outer tube 3 is a free end 4, and the other end is a fixed end 5. The free end 4 is slidably engaged with the first guide member 1, and the fixed end 5 is fixed to the second guide member 2. A first end plate 6 is slidably engaged on the first guide member 1, and a second end plate 7 is slidably engaged on the second guide member 2.

[0030] In this embodiment, the core of the device lies in the use of a self-resetting system with high axial elongation capability, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, one end of the prestressing tendon 8 passes through the center of the spring-loaded member 9 and is connected to the guide member 18, so that the spring-loaded member 9 is located between the guide member 18 and the first end plate 6 and abuts against the first end plate 6 under compression; the other end passes through the channel between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, and then through the second end plate 7, and similarly passes through the center of another spring-loaded member 9 and is connected to another guide member 18, so that the spring-loaded member 9 is located between the guide member 18 and the second end plate 7 and abuts against the second end plate 7 under compression, and the prestressing tendon 8 is in a tensile state. Under the action of prestress, the first end plate 6 can simultaneously abut against the fixed end 12 of the inner tube and the free end 4 of the outer tube, and the second end plate 7 can simultaneously abut against the fixed end 5 of the outer tube and the free end 13 of the inner tube. The first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 are connected to the outside of the outer tube 3 through the energy dissipation component 10 to work together with the prestressing tendon 8 to resist the change in the distance between the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2.

[0031] For the spring-loaded component 9, the main body is formed by stacking multiple disc springs 17 axially, utilizing the high stiffness and high energy density of the disc springs 17 under axial compression. The disc springs 17, through their unique conical structure, provide a non-linear mechanical response under compressive deformation, and the overall stiffness and stroke can be flexibly adjusted by stacking multiple layers to adapt to different preload and deformation requirements. One end of the spring-loaded component 9 abuts against the first end plate 6 or the second end plate 7 via a pad 16, and the other end is equipped with a guide 18. The prestressing tendon 8 passes through the center of the disc spring 17 and is fixed to the guide 18. The guide 18 typically has an inner hole through which the prestressing tendon 8 can pass. When the spring-loaded component 9 is deformed under compressive stress, the guide 18 can limit the lateral displacement of the disc spring 17 assembly, preventing buckling. This fitting structure makes the prestressing tendon 8 the central guide shaft of the disc spring 17, ensuring direct and centered transmission of axial force, thereby ensuring that the disc spring 17 assembly always works stably along the axial direction.

[0032] The prestressing tendon 8 is the core component that provides pre-tension and reset force. Its placement through the center of the disc spring 17 forms an integral prestressed reset unit, realizing the series mechanical coupling between the prestressing tendon 8 and the disc spring 17 group. This allows the tensile deformation of the prestressing tendon 8 to effectively drive the compressive deformation of the disc spring 17 group. The superposition of the two deformations together realizes the high axial elongation capacity of the device and achieves efficient energy storage and release.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, multiple prestressing tendons 8 are threaded through the channel between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, and these tendons 8 are circumferentially spaced along the axis of the inner tube 11. The uniformly distributed system of prestressing tendons 8 helps maintain the axial alignment of the device, reduces lateral bending or torsional effects that may occur under cyclic loads, and enhances the overall stability of the device. Furthermore, the configuration of multiple prestressing tendons 8 also improves the redundancy and reliability of the self-resetting system. In the initial state, the prestressing force applied by the prestressing tendons 8 pushes the end plate towards the end of the tube body, ensuring close contact between the end plate and the corresponding ends of the inner and outer tubes 3, thus forming an initial state with connection rigidity.

[0034] Specifically, the prestressing tendons 8 are typically made of high-strength steel, such as high-strength steel strands or high-strength steel bars. Multiple prestressing tendons 8 are configured so that even if one prestressing tendon 8 suffers localized damage, the others can continue to provide restoring force, ensuring the basic function of the device under extreme conditions. Simultaneously, the combined action of multiple prestressing tendons 8 significantly enhances the maximum restoring force that the self-restoring system can provide, thereby strengthening the overall seismic performance of the device. When working in conjunction with the external energy dissipation component 10, this stable and uniform restoring force ensures that the energy dissipation component 10 dissipates energy under more ideal axial stress conditions, optimizing the performance of the entire support device and extending its service life.

[0035] Throughout the entire stress process, regardless of whether the high axial elongation capacity self-resetting energy-consuming support device is in tension or compression, its spring-loaded component 9 is always under compression, and the prestressed tendon 8 is always under tension.

[0036] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an inner tube 11 and an outer tube 3 that can move relative to each other along the axial direction are set up. A relative motion interface is constructed using a first guide 1 connected to the fixed end 12 of the inner tube and a second guide 2 connected to the fixed end 5 of the outer tube. In conjunction with a self-resetting system composed of prestressed tendons 8, spring-loaded components 9, and end plates, the energy dissipation component 10 is placed outside the outer tube 3 between the first guide 1 and the second guide 2. During operation, the two guides change the distance between them, driving the externally connected energy dissipation component 10 to deform and dissipate energy in tandem. Meanwhile, the internal prestressed self-resetting system maintains its operation independently. In particular, the series connection of the prestressed tendons 8 and the spring-loaded components 9 achieves the superposition of deformation, significantly improving the axial elongation capacity. At the same time, the spatial separation of the energy dissipation function and the main body reset function is achieved. After an earthquake, there is no need to unload the support or disassemble the tube body. The yield damage of the external energy dissipation component 10 can be directly observed, and low-cost, high-efficiency in-situ rapid disassembly and replacement can be achieved, effectively solving the engineering problem of rapid restoration of the building structure function after an earthquake.

[0037] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3 can be steel pipes with circular or square cross-sections. Their coaxiality is ensured through processing, thereby enabling relative movement between them. As one implementation, the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3 are made of square cross-section tubing. Furthermore, protrusions are provided on the first end plate 6 and the second end plate 7 to isolate the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, maintaining a gap between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3 to preserve the passage.

[0038] The first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 are structural components with a length at one end. One end of the first guide member 1 can be welded or bolted to the fixed end 12 of the inner tube to maintain its structural stability. Outside the area where the first guide member 1 connects to the inner tube 11, the first guide member 1 can also form a sliding contact with the free end 4 of the outer tube. Similarly, one end of the second guide member 2 can be welded or bolted to the fixed end of the outer tube to maintain its structural stability. Inside the area where the second guide member 2 connects to the outer tube 3, the second guide member 2 can also form a sliding contact with the free end 13 of the inner tube.

[0039] As another possible implementation, the first guide 1 and the free end 4 of the outer tube, and the second guide 2 and the free end 13 of the inner tube, can also be in a non-contact state to reduce friction-induced wear and noise.

[0040] The first guide member 1 is slidably fitted with a first end plate 6, and the second guide member 2 is slidably fitted with a second end plate 7. The first end plate 6 and the second end plate 7 can be designed as plate structures that match the outer contour of the guide member. For example, sliding holes can be opened on the first end plate 6 and the second end plate 7 so that the first end plate 6 can slide along the first guide member 1 and the second end plate 7 can slide along the second guide member 2. The sliding direction is along the axial direction of the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3.

[0041] The prestressing tendon 8 can be a steel bar or strand that meets specific strength requirements, with both ends connected to the guide member 18 via nuts or anchors. The spring-loaded member 9 can be one or more elastic elements, assembled at both ends of the prestressing tendon 8 and in contact with the first end plate 6 or the second end plate 7. The prestressing tendon 8 passes through an annular cross-section channel between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, ensuring that it is protected inside the tube body.

[0042] By adjusting the tension of the prestressed tendon 8, it can be ensured that the end plate simultaneously abuts against the corresponding ends of the inner and outer tubes 3 in a static state.

[0043] The first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 are connected to the outside of the outer tube 3 via an energy dissipation component 10. The energy dissipation component 10 can be one or more metal yielding elements, such as steel plates, steel bars, bundled wires, etc., which are capable of plastic deformation. Its two ends are respectively connected to the outer surfaces of the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 by assembly methods such as bolts, so that the energy dissipation component 10 is visible from the outside of the device.

[0044] When the device is subjected to axial tension, the distance between the first guide 1 and the second guide 2 changes. At this time, the energy dissipation component 10 is stretched and undergoes plastic deformation, thereby dissipating energy. Simultaneously, the prestressed tendon 8 is stretched through the spring-loaded component 9, accumulating elastic energy and providing a restoring force after the external force is unloaded, causing the guides to return to the initial distance, thus resetting the device.

[0045] By placing the energy-dissipating component 10 outside the outer tube 3 between the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2, the energy-dissipating function and the main body reset function are spatially separated. Therefore, after an earthquake, the yield damage of the external energy-dissipating component 10 can be directly observed without unloading the support or disassembling the tube body, effectively avoiding the blind spots of traditional built-in designs. The modular prefabricated design also enables low-cost, high-efficiency in-situ rapid disassembly and replacement, significantly shortening the repair cycle and reducing maintenance costs, thus effectively solving the engineering challenge of rapid functional restoration of building structures after an earthquake.

[0046] When achieving axial free movement between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, undesirable circumferential rotation or deflection may occur between the tubes or between the guide and the tubes during reciprocating stress. This can affect the uniform transmission of axial loads and even cause local stress concentration, reducing the stability and reliability of the support device. To address this, in this embodiment, the first guide 1 and the second guide 2 are combined plates with a cross-shaped cross section and are formed with multiple limb plates 19, such as... Figure 2 As shown, multiple sliding grooves 14 of sliding mating plates 19 are respectively opened on the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, and multiple sliding fits are formed between the inner tube 11 and the second guide member 2, and between the outer tube 3 and the first guide member 1.

[0047] The cross-shaped cross-section of the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 is composed of multiple mutually perpendicular or angled limb plates 19. The limb plates 19 radiate outwards from the center, forming multi-directional support surfaces. Compared to traditional circular or rectangular cross-sections, the composite plate members with cross-shaped cross-sections provide stronger torsional resistance and multi-directional restraint. The structure of the composite plate members can be achieved by assembling multiple plates through welding, bolting, or other mechanical connections to form the required cross-shaped cross-section, thus ensuring structural strength while facilitating processing and assembly.

[0048] To accommodate the cruciform cross-section limb plates 19, multiple grooves 14 are correspondingly formed on the walls of the inner tube 11 and outer tube 3. The shape and size of the grooves 14 match the cross-section of the limb plates 19, allowing the limb plates 19 to slide axially along the grooves 14. The location and number of grooves 14 correspond to the distribution of the limb plates 19, ensuring that each limb plate 19 can be effectively guided. For example, for a cruciform cross-section, four or more grooves 14 can be evenly distributed circumferentially on the walls of the square cross-section inner tube 11 and outer tube 3 to accommodate each limb plate 19 of the cruciform cross-section. The grooves 14 not only provide a sliding path for the limb plates 19 but also strictly limit their circumferential movement.

[0049] Between the inner tube 11 and the second guide member 2, and between the outer tube 3 and the first guide member 1, multiple sliding fits are formed through the cooperation of the aforementioned limb plate 19 and the slide groove 14. This establishes multiple independent limb plates 19 and corresponding slide grooves 14 that slide collaboratively. This multi-point contact and guided sliding fit mechanism can evenly distribute the axial load to multiple contact points on the tube wall, effectively avoiding localized stress concentration. Simultaneously, due to the limiting effect of the limb plate 19 within the slide groove 14, the circumferential rotation of the guide member relative to the tube body can be effectively suppressed, ensuring the stability of the entire support device under axial force.

[0050] Multiple sliding grooves 14 are formed on the inner tube 11 and outer tube 3 to slide with the limb plates 19, realizing multiple sliding fits between the inner tube 11 and outer tube 3, and between the guide and the tube body. This transforms the connection between the inner tube 11 and outer tube 3 from a simple surface contact to a multi-limb embedded fit, thereby achieving axial free sliding while effectively restricting the circumferential rotational degree of freedom. This significantly enhances the torsional stability of the support device during reciprocating stress and ensures the smooth operation of the tension-compression conversion mechanism. In addition, the axial load is evenly distributed and transferred to the tube wall through the multi-limb plates 19, effectively avoiding premature yielding of components caused by local stress concentration. This improves the overall mechanical reliability of the support device and solves the problems of insufficient stability and stress concentration that may be caused by simple sliding fit.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, multiple fixing grooves 15 for connecting limb plates 19 are respectively opened on the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, and multiple fixed connections are formed between the inner tube 11 and the first guide member 1, the outer tube 3 and the second guide member 2.

[0052] Specifically, the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3 are provided with multiple fixing grooves 15 for connecting the limb plates 19. Unlike the sliding grooves 14 used for sliding fit, the fixing grooves 15 can tightly fit with the cross-section of the limb plate 19, thereby effectively preventing the limb plate 19 from moving axially and circumferentially relative to the tube body after insertion. The multiple fixing grooves 15 enable each limb plate 19 of the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 to be matched with a corresponding fixing point on the inner tube 11 or the outer tube 3, thereby forming a distributed fixed connection, which can significantly enhance the structural stability and load-bearing capacity of these key connection points.

[0053] In this embodiment, the multi-point fixed connection between the inner tube 11, the outer tube 3 and the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 makes full use of the multiple limb plates 19 of the cross-shaped cross section guide member to evenly distribute and transfer the axial load to the pipe walls of the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 3, effectively avoiding the stress concentration problem that may be caused by traditional single-point or local connection, thereby reducing the risk of premature yielding of the component during the stress process.

[0054] In addition, multiple fixed connections further restrict the relative displacement between the first guide member 1 and the inner tube 11, and between the second guide member 2 and the outer tube 3, including minute axial and circumferential movements. This ensures that the fixed ends always maintain a rigid connection when the device is in operation, providing a solid foundation for the stable operation of the entire self-resetting energy dissipation support device, improving the overall mechanical reliability of the support device, and ensuring that the energy dissipation component 10 and the self-resetting system can work together as designed under repeated stress conditions, thereby improving the durability and safety of the device.

[0055] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the first guide member 1 is slidably passed through the first end plate 6, the second guide member 2 is slidably passed through the second end plate 7, and the energy dissipation component 10 is located between the first end plate 6 and the second end plate 7. When the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 are relatively displaced, the energy dissipation component 10 is directly driven to deform and dissipate energy through its connection with the end plate.

[0056] By configuring the relative positions of the first guide member 1, the second guide member 2, and the energy-consuming component 10, a compact spatial integration and effective functional synergy between the energy-consuming component 10 and the self-resetting system are achieved. This enables the energy-consuming component 10 to respond promptly to the relative displacement between the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2, ensuring the directness and effectiveness of the energy-consuming process.

[0057] By stacking multiple pieces, the overall stiffness and stroke can be flexibly adjusted to adapt to different preload and deformation requirements.

[0058] The pad 16 is a transitional component located between the spring 9 and the end plate, ensuring uniform stress distribution on the spring 9 and preventing localized stress concentration or wear when the spring 9 directly contacts the end plate. The pad 16 is typically made of a material with a certain degree of hardness and wear resistance, and its smooth surface allows it to smoothly transmit the restoring force generated by the spring to the first end plate 6 or the second end plate 7, thereby ensuring effective force transmission and component integrity in the reset system. The guide 18 is an annular component located at the other end of the spring 9, providing guidance and fixation for the prestressing tendon 8, and working in conjunction with the disc spring 17 assembly.

[0059] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the energy dissipation system includes an energy dissipation plate 20, which is detachably mounted at both ends to a first guide member 1 and a second guide member 2. The energy dissipation plate 20 is the core component of the system, and its main function is to absorb and dissipate energy through the plastic deformation of the material when the device is subjected to stress and deformation. The energy dissipation plate 20 is typically made of a metallic material with good plasticity, such as low yield point steel, ordinary carbon structural steel, or stainless steel. Its shape can vary, such as a rectangular plate, an X-shaped plate, a sheared plate, or a bent plate, and the specific shape and size can be designed according to the expected energy dissipation capacity and space constraints.

[0060] During the stress process, the energy dissipation plate 20 dissipates seismic energy through yielding and plastic deformation, thereby protecting the main structure. The energy dissipation plate 20 is detachably mounted on the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 at both ends. The connection between the energy dissipation plate 20 and the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 allows for easy disassembly and reinstallation without damaging the main structure or connecting parts. To achieve a detachable connection, specific methods such as bolt connection, pin connection, wedge connection, or snap-fit ​​connection can be used. For example, bolt holes can be pre-drilled at both ends of the energy dissipation plate 20, and it can be fixed to the pre-set connecting seats or connecting lugs on the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2 using high-strength bolts; or a pin can be used to connect the energy dissipation plate 20 through holes at its ends and corresponding holes on the guide members, and then secured with cotter pins or nuts. The replacement time of the energy dissipation component 10 during the test is ≤2 hours.

[0061] During its implementation, if the arrangement of the external energy-dissipating components 10 is unreasonable, it may cause the device to generate an eccentric moment when under stress, affecting the stability and energy dissipation efficiency of the support device, and potentially complicating post-earthquake damage assessment and replacement. Therefore, in this embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, multiple energy dissipation plates 20 are connected between the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2, and the multiple energy dissipation plates 20 are distributed circumferentially along the axis of the inner tube 11. The energy dissipation plates 20 absorb and dissipate seismic energy through plastic deformation. The multiple energy dissipation plates 20 allow the energy dissipation function to be jointly undertaken by multiple independent units. This not only increases the redundancy of the energy dissipation system—even if some energy dissipation plates 20 fail, the remaining energy dissipation plates 20 can continue to operate—but also provides flexibility for adjusting the energy dissipation capacity; the number of energy dissipation plates 20 can be increased or decreased to adapt to different seismic requirements.

[0062] Multiple energy-dissipating plates 20 are arranged uniformly at certain angular intervals around the axis of the inner tube 11. For example, two, three, four or more energy-dissipating plates 20 can be set up and arranged symmetrically or quasi-symmetrically in the circumferential direction. This ensures that when the support device is subjected to axial load, the damping force provided by each energy-dissipating plate 20 can be balanced with each other, avoiding the generation of additional eccentric bending moments, thereby ensuring the stability of the support device and the pure axial force state during the tension-compression cyclic stress process.

[0063] Multiple energy-dissipating plates 20, spaced circumferentially, utilize their symmetrical geometric arrangement to ensure that the damping forces generated by each plate cancel out additional bending moments at the center of the cross-section during operation. This ensures that the support structure primarily bears pure axial forces, preventing unexpected instability caused by eccentric bending moments and significantly enhancing the torsional stability and overall mechanical reliability of the support device. Furthermore, the modular design not only improves the flexibility of the energy dissipation system, allowing for precise adjustment of damping forces by increasing or decreasing the number of energy-dissipating plates 20 according to actual seismic requirements, but also ensures that the damage to each plate 20 is consistent under seismic loading due to uniform stress. This simplifies post-earthquake damage assessment and rapid batch replacement procedures, improving the device's rapid repair capability and economic efficiency.

[0064] Post-earthquake damage to critical structures such as hospitals, schools, important industrial plants, and substations can cause serious casualties and economic losses. It is necessary to strictly control the degree of post-earthquake damage and the ability to recover from the earthquake. Rapid recovery of lifeline projects such as hospitals and substations after an earthquake is conducive to improving the efficiency of post-earthquake rescue.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, the loading process of the high axial elongation capacity self-resetting energy-consuming support device is divided into initial loading and cyclic loading, and the hysteresis model of cyclic loading is double flag-shaped.

[0066] High axial elongation capacity enables rapid repair of the self-resetting energy-dissipating support device's operating mode, such as... Figure 4 As shown, it includes a depressurization stage and a gap opening stage, and the two-stage working mode is as follows: Figure 3 As shown in Figure 4, the corresponding hysteresis curve can be obtained by superimposing the hysteresis of its self-resetting system and the hysteresis of its energy-consuming system.

[0067] Figure 4 In the high axial elongation capacity, the hysteresis curve of the self-resetting energy-dissipating support device that can quickly repair itself starts from the coordinate origin o (initial position), and the initial loading path is oabc. The oa segment is the decompression stage (deformation mode as follows). Figure 3 (a) During this stage, the axial load F of the support is less than the prestress of the self-resetting system. F PT The contact surfaces between the inner tube 11, the outer tube 3, and the corresponding end plates are under pressure, with no gap opening. abc represents the gap opening stage (deformation mode as follows). Figure 3 (b) The axial tensile force on the support at point a reaches the point of stress relief. F decThe pressure at the contact surfaces between the inner tube 11, outer tube 3, and corresponding end plates drops to zero. Subsequently, with the increase of axial load, the gap between the contact surfaces of the inner tube 11, outer tube 3, and corresponding end plates gradually increases. The opening of this gap causes the core energy-dissipating plate 20 of the energy-dissipating system to undergo tensile or compressive deformation and begin to work (i.e., the starting point of the energy-dissipating system hysteresis curve is point o'). At point b, the energy-dissipating plate yields, and the supporting axial yield load is... F y After that, it enters the plastic deformation stage.

[0068] If high axial elongation capacity can quickly repair the self-resetting energy-dissipating support device Figure 4 Unloading begins at point c, with an unloading path of cdef, where the slopes of segments cd and ab are the same, and the slopes of segments de and bc are the same. By superimposing the unloading curves of the self-resetting system and the energy-dissipating system, the high axial elongation capacity can quickly repair any residual deformation that may occur in the self-resetting energy-dissipating support device when unloading to point f.

[0069] After passing point f, reverse cyclic loading begins, with the loading path being fghijbc. Since the core energy-consuming plate 20 of the energy-consuming component 10 has entered the plastic stage, the cyclic loading stage no longer includes the elastic deformation stage of the energy-consuming plate 20 during the initial loading.

[0070] Figure 5 The ultimate loading displacements for the initial loading and post-repair loading (i.e., replacing the damaged high axial elongation capacity self-resetting energy dissipation support device) test conditions were 34.5 mm and 33.9 mm, respectively, corresponding to axial elongation rates of 2% and 1.96%, indicating that the high axial elongation capacity self-resetting energy dissipation support device before and after repair both have excellent deformation capacity.

[0071] Example 2 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1-5 As shown, a working method for a self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair is presented. Utilizing the self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity as described in Example 1, the method includes the following steps: When the first guide 1 and the second guide 2 are pulled away from each other by the tension, the first guide 1 drives the inner tube 11 to push the first end plate 6 outward, and the second guide 2 drives the outer tube 3 to push the second end plate 7 outward. The first end plate 6 separates from the free end 4 of the outer tube, and the second end plate 7 separates from the free end 13 of the inner tube. As the end plates move outward, the spring-loaded component 9 is compressed and accumulates elastic potential energy. Specifically, because the guides 18 at both ends of the prestressing tendon 8 restrict the displacement of the spring-loaded component 9, the outwardly moving first end plate 6 and second end plate 7 respectively compress the spring-loaded component 9 inward. At this time, the prestressing tendon 8 is under tension and undergoes elastic elongation, while the spring-loaded component 9 is under compression and undergoes compressive deformation. The prestressing tendon 8 and the spring-loaded component 9 are in a series stress state, and their deformations are superimposed to jointly provide the axial elongation capacity of the device. Simultaneously, the energy-dissipating component 10 connected to the outside of the two guides is stretched as the distance increases, providing damping and dissipating energy. When the external force is unloaded, under the restoring force of the springback 9 and the prestressed tendon 8, the first end plate 6 pushes the inner tube 11 and the second end plate 7 pushes the outer tube 3. The outer tube 3 and the inner tube 11 approach each other under the pushing of the first end plate 6 and the second end plate 7 until the first end plate 6 re-abuts the free end 4 of the outer tube and the second end plate 7 re-abuts the free end 13 of the inner tube. At this point, the device eliminates the tensile deformation, and the energy-consuming component 10 is reset.

[0072] When the device is subjected to axial tension but the tension has not yet overcome the prestressing force of the prestressing tendon 8, the first end plate 6, under the action of prestress, maintains simultaneous contact with the inner tube fixed end 12 and the outer tube free end 4; similarly, the second end plate 7 also maintains simultaneous contact with the outer tube fixed end 5 and the inner tube free end 13; no relative displacement has occurred between the first guide member 1 and the second guide member 2, the energy dissipation component 10 is in an elastic stress but energy dissipation state, and the device as a whole exhibits a rigid connection.

[0073] After the initial loading of the energy-consuming component 10, the core energy-consuming board 20 of the energy-consuming component 10 enters the plasticization stage.

[0074] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair capability, characterized in that, It includes an inner tube and an outer tube sleeved outside the inner tube. The fixed end of the inner tube is connected to a first guide member, the free end of the inner tube is slidably engaged with a second guide member, the free end of the outer tube is slidably engaged with the first guide member, and the fixed end of the outer tube is fixed to the second guide member. The first guide member has a first end plate that slides on it, and the second guide member has a second end plate that slides on it. One end of the prestressing tendon passes through the center of the spring and is connected to the guide member, so that the spring abuts against the first end plate under compression. The other end passes through the channel between the inner tube and the outer tube, the second end plate, and then through another spring and is connected to another guide member, so that the other spring abuts against the second end plate under compression. The prestressing tendon remains in tension. Under prestress, the first end plate can simultaneously abut against the fixed end of the inner tube and the free end of the outer tube, and the second end plate can simultaneously abut against the fixed end of the outer tube and the free end of the inner tube. The first guide member and the second guide member are connected outside the outer tube by an energy-dissipating component to work together with the prestressed tendons to resist changes in the spacing between the first guide member and the second guide member.

2. The high axial elongation capacity, rapid repair, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The spring-loaded component is formed by stacking multiple disc springs axially. One end of the spring-loaded component abuts against the first end plate or the second end plate through a pad, and the other end abuts against the guide, so that the multiple disc springs are located between the guide and the pad. The prestressed tendons pass through the center of the multiple disc springs that make up the spring-loaded component in sequence and then connect to the guide.

3. The high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Multiple prestressing tendons are inserted into the channel between the inner and outer tubes. The prestressing tendons are distributed circumferentially along the axis of the inner tube, and each prestressing tendon is fitted with a guide and a spring-loaded component at both ends.

4. The high axial elongation capacity, rapid repair, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first guide and the second guide are combined plate components with a cross-shaped cross section and have multiple limb plates. Multiple sliding grooves for sliding fit limb plates are respectively opened on the inner tube and the outer tube, and multiple sliding fits are formed between the inner tube and the second guide and between the outer tube and the first guide.

5. The high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 2, characterized in that... Multiple fixing grooves for connecting limb plates are respectively opened on the inner tube and the outer tube, and multiple fixed connections are formed between the inner tube and the first guide member, the outer tube and the second guide member.

6. The high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first guide member is slidably passed through the first end plate, the second guide member is slidably passed through the second end plate, and the energy dissipation component is located between the first end plate and the second end plate.

7. The high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The energy-consuming component includes an energy-consuming plate, with its two ends detachably mounted on a first guide and a second guide, respectively.

8. The high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 6, characterized in that... Multiple energy-dissipating plates are connected between the first guide member and the second guide member, and the multiple energy-dissipating plates are distributed circumferentially along the inner tube axis.

9. A working method for a self-resetting energy-dissipating support device with high axial elongation capacity and rapid repair capability, characterized in that, The self-resetting energy-dissipating support device, which utilizes the high axial elongation capacity as described in any one of claims 1-8, can be rapidly repaired, comprising: When the first guide member and the second guide member are pulled away from each other by a tensile force, the first guide member drives the inner tube to push the first end plate outward, and the second guide member drives the outer tube to push the second end plate outward. The first end plate separates from the free end of the outer tube, and the second end plate separates from the free end of the inner tube. Due to the guides at both ends of the prestressing tendon restricting the displacement of the spring-loaded component, the outwardly moving first and second end plates compress the spring-loaded component inward. The prestressing tendon is under tension and produces elastic elongation, while the spring-loaded component is under compression and produces compressive deformation, accumulating elastic potential energy. The prestressing tendon and the spring-loaded component are in a series stress state, and the deformation of the two is superimposed to jointly provide the axial elongation capacity of the device. At the same time, the energy-dissipating components connected to the outside of the two guides are stretched as the distance increases, providing damping and dissipating energy. When the external force is unloaded, under the restoring force of the spring and the prestressed tendon, the first end plate pushes the inner tube and the second end plate pushes the outer tube. The inner tube and the outer tube move closer to each other under the pushing of the first end plate and the second end plate until the first end plate re-abuts the free end of the outer tube and the second end plate re-abuts the free end of the inner tube. At this point, the device eliminates the tensile deformation, and the energy-consuming components are reset.

10. The working method of the high axial elongation capacity, rapidly repairable, self-resetting energy-dissipating support device as described in claim 9, characterized in that, When the device is subjected to axial tension but the tension has not yet overcome the prestressing force of the prestressing tendon, the first end plate, under the action of prestress, remains in contact with both the fixed end of the inner tube and the free end of the outer tube at the same time; similarly, the second end plate also remains in contact with both the fixed end of the outer tube and the free end of the inner tube at the same time; no relative displacement has occurred between the first guide member and the second guide member, the energy dissipation component is in an elastic stress but no energy dissipation state, and the device as a whole exhibits a rigid connection; After the initial loading of the energy-consuming component, the core energy-consuming board of the energy-consuming component enters the plastic stage.

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