Patent ID: 7743563

Claim:
A structural system for effecting distributed absorption and dissipation of seismic energy within a building structure with plural redundancy, which building structure is subject to forceful deflection during a seismic event; said structural system comprising: a shear panel which is substantially rigid, said shear panel having a pair of spaced apart opposed and substantially parallel edges; said shear panel being juxtaposed at said edges to respective structural members of said building structure, so that said edges and said structural members are subject to forceful relative lateral motions in response to deflection of the building structure during a seismic event; a plurality of seismic energy dampers connecting said edges and said structural members, said plural seismic energy dampers each independently being capable of dissipating seismic energy so that a redundancy equal to said plurality is provided; and said plurality of seismic energy dampers allowing relative lateral movements of said edges and said structural members above a certain force level, whereby above said certain force level said plurality of seismic energy dampers frictionally providing Coulomb damping between said shear panel and said structural members in response to said forceful lateral relative movements.