Concordia University
Library Building
Montreal, Canada

Covered Area: 52,000 m2
Cost: $65 million
Savings: 6.5% of structural cost or 1.5% of building cost.

The ten-storey McConnell Building is a masterpiece in innovative structural design. Pall Friction Dampers are installed at the junction of steel cross bracing in rigid concrete frames. The use of steel bracing eliminated the need of expensive concrete shearwalls and the introduction of supplemental damping provided by friction dampers eliminated the need of dependence on ductility of structural members.

Unlike concrete shearwalls, bracing were generally not continuous one over the other and thus provided greater flexibility in space planning. The architects have boldly exposed several bracing with dampers as these add to the aesthetic appearance.

Pall Friction Dampers provided an economical design solution to safeguard the building and its valuable contents against earthquakes.

The building was designed in 1987 and construction was completed in 1991.