Mechanical properties of shape memory alloy (SMA) wires were experimentally researched in this paper, and an energy dissipater made of SMA wire cable was designed and applied in a steel frame structure model by using superelasticity characteristics of SMAs to passively reduce dynamic responses of the steel frame structure under seismic load. For the characteristics of large relative displacements between the stories of the steel frame structure on both diagonal ends and the consideration of initial prestrain effects of the SMA cables, three kinds of the whole control, the part control, and no control of the shaking table tests and numerical simulations were carried, respectively. Through the results of the shaking table test and numerical simulation analysis, the dynamic responses such as the maximum displacement, velocity, and acceleration at the top layer of the steel frame structure applied with SMA cables are significantly decreased compared with the no control case. However, considering the premise of both effectiveness and efficiency, the part control effect is superior to the whole control. In many cases, it can meet the control requirement of reducing the maximum displacement and acceleration, while the superelasticity of SMAs can be sufficiently played, realizing the passive control purposes of the steel frame structure based on the energy dispassion through the application of the SMA cables. The proposed method has broad application prospects in the passive control field of building structures.

Nonlinear 3D finite element models (FEM) of the two kinds of joints, namely steel bars headed through the pipe joint and steel bars welded with the upper strengthened ring joint, are established by using the ANSYS program. By choosing the suitable element type, boundary condition and loading regime, the author made intensive study on the stress distribution of the steel tubular, the concrete, the strengthened ring and the bar. The result shows that the finite element model accords with the actual stress situation of the joint. Holes on the steel tubular have little effect on the bearing capacity of the axial load of the joint, but the greater impact on the shear transfer.