• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2009

In this study, the seismic performance of the Buckling Restrained Knee Bracing (BRKB) system was evaluated through a pin-connected one-bay, one-story frame. The BRKB system developed in this study was composed of a steel plate as a load-resisting core member and two channel sections to restrain local and global buckling of the core plate. The main purpose of the BRKB system is to restrengthen/rehabilitate old low- and mid-rise RC buildings, which, it is assumed, were designed with non-seismic designs and details. The main variables for the test specimens were the size of the core plates and the stiffeners, and the condition of the end plates. The test results showed that the size of the core plate, which was the main element of the load-resisting member, was the most important parameter in achieving a ductile behavior under tension as well as compression until the maximum displacement exceeds twice the design drift limit.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.81-96
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• 2019

The behavior of a new Three-Tube Buckling-Restrained Brace (TTBRB) with circumference pre-stress (${\sigma}_{{\theta},pre}$) in core tube are investigated through a verified finite element model. The TTBRB is composed of one core tube and two restraining tubes. The core tube is in the middle to provide the axial stiffness, to carry the axial load and to dissipate the earthquake energy. The two restraining tubes are at inside and outside of the core tube, respectively, to restrain the global and local buckling of the core tube. Based on the yield criteria of fringe fiber, a design method for restraining tubes is proposed. The applicability of the proposed design equations are verified by TTBRBs with different radius-thickness ratios, with different gap widths between core tube and restraining tubs, and with different levels of ${\sigma}_{{\theta},pre}$. The outer and inner tubes will restrain the deformation of the core tube in radius direction, which causes circumference stress (${\sigma}_{\theta}$) in the core tube. Together with the ${\sigma}_{{\theta},pre}$ in the core tube that is applied through interference fit of the three tubes, the yield strength of the core tube in the axial direction is improved from 160 MPa to 235 MPa. Effects of gap width between the core tube and restraining tubes, and ${\sigma}_{{\theta},pre}$ on hysteretic behavior of TTBRBs are presented. Analysis results showed that the gap width and the ${\sigma}_{{\theta},pre}$ can significantly affect the hysteretic behavior of a TTBRB.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.1349-1362
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• 2015

This paper presents an analytical study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of using buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) in mitigating the seismic response of a case study 6 storey reinforced concrete (RC) building. In the design of the BRBs with non-prismatic cross-sections, twelve combinations of ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ design parameters that influence the strength and stiffness of the BRBs, respectively, were considered. The response of the structure with and without BRBs under earthquake ground accelerations were evaluated through nonlinear dynamic analysis. Two sets of ground motions representative of the design earthquake with 10% and 50% exceedance probability in fifty years were taken into account. By comparing the structural performance of the original and buckling restrained braced structures, it was observed that the use of the BRBs were very effective in mitigating the seismic response as a retrofit scheme. However, the selection of the strength and stiffness parameters of the BRBs had considerable effect on the response characteristics of RC structures. For instance, by increasing the value of ${\alpha}$ and by decreasing the value of ${\beta}$ of the buckling-restrained braces, the maximum deformation demand of the structures increased.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.547-559
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• 2020

Buckling restrained braces (BRBs) were developed as an enhanced alternative to conventional braces by restraining their global buckling, thus allowing development of a stable quasi-symmetric hysteretic response. A wider adoption of buckling restrained braced frames is precluded due to proprietary character of most BRBs and the code requirement for experimental qualification. To overcome these problems, BRBs with capacities corresponding to typical steel multi-storey buildings in Romania were developed and experimentally tested in view of prequalification. The first part of this paper presents the results of the experimental program which included sub-assemblage tests on ten full-scale BRBs and uniaxial tests on components materials (steel and concrete). Two different solutions of the core were investigated: milled from a plate and fabricated from a square steel profile. The strength of the buckling restraining mechanism was also investigated. The influence of gravity loading on the unsymmetrical deformations in the two plastic segments of the core was assessed, and the response of the bolted connections was evaluated. The cyclic response of BRBs was evaluated with respect to a set of performance parameters, and recommendations for design were given.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.621-636
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• 2013

Response modification factor is one of the seismic design parameters to consider nonlinear performance of building structures during strong earthquake, in conformity with the point that many seismic design codes led to reduce the loads. In the present paper it's tried to evaluate the response modification factors of dual moment resistant frame with buckling restrained braced (BRB). Since, the response modification factor depends on ductility and overstrength; the nonlinear static analysis, nonlinear dynamic analysis and linear dynamic analysis have been done on building models including multi-floors and different brace configurations (chevron V, invert V, diagonal and X bracing). The response modification factor for each of the BRBF dual systems has been determined separately, and the tentative value of 10.47 has been suggested for allowable stress design method. It is also included that the ductility, overstrength and response modification factors for all of the models were decreased when the height of the building was increased.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.6
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• pp.715-728
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• 2022

A new type of buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) with a longitudinally profiled steel plate working as the core (LPBRB) is proposed and experimentally investigated. Different from conventional BRBs with a constant thickness core, both stiffness and strength of the longitudinally profiled steel core along its longitudinal direction can change through itself variable thickness, thus the construction of LPBRB saves material and reduces the processing cost. Four full-scale component tests were conducted under quasi-static cyclic loading to evaluate the seismic performance of LPBRB. Three stiffening methods were used to improve the fatigue performance of LPBRBs, which were bolt-assembled T-shaped stiffening ribs, partly-welded stiffening ribs and stiffening segment without rib. The experimental results showed LPBRB specimens displayed stable hysteretic behavior and satisfactory seismic property. There was no instability or rupture until the axial ductility ratio achieved 11.0. Failure modes included the out-of-plane buckling of the stiffening part outside the restraining member and core plate fatigue fracture around the longitudinally profiled segment. The effect of the stiffening methods on the fatigue performance is discussed. The critical buckling load of longitudinally profiled segment is derived using Euler theory. The local bulging behavior of the outer steel tube is analyzed with an equivalent beam model. The design recommendations for LPBRB are presented finally.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.745-757
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• 2018

The inclusion of a ductile steel bracing as means of repairing an earthquake-damaged bridge bent is evaluated and experimentally assessed for the purposes of restoring the damaged bent's strength and stiffness and further improving the energy dissipation capacity. The study is focused on substandard reinforced concrete multi-column bridge bents constructed in the 1950 to mid-1970 in the United States. These types of bents have numerous deficiencies making them susceptible to seismic damage. Large-scale experiments were used on a two-column reinforced concrete bent to impose considerable damage of the bent through increasing amplitude cyclic deformations. The damaged bent was then repaired by installing a ductile fuse steel brace in the form of a buckling-restrained brace in a diagonal configuration between the columns and using post-tensioned rods to strengthen the cap beam. The brace was secured to the bent using steel gusset plate brackets and post-installed adhesive anchors. The repaired bent was then subjected to increasing amplitude cyclic deformations to reassess the bent performance. A subassemblage test of a nominally identical steel brace was also conducted in an effort to quantify and isolate the ductile fuse behavior. The experimental data from these large-scale experiments were analyzed in terms of the hysteretic response, observed damage, internal member loads, as well as the overall stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics. The results of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing ductile steel bracing for restoring the bent and preventing further damage to the columns and cap beams while also improving the stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.355-364
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• 2008

The Buckling-Restrained Braces (BRB) has been developed to inhibit buckling and exhibit stable behavior under both tensile and compressive cycles. In this study, an experimental has been conducted by using the strength of its members and loading protocols as parameters to evaluate the structural performance of BRB (without in-filled concrete). Specimens are composed of an inner core and an outer tube with different steel strengths. When high-strength steels were used as inner cores, the ductility of BRB decreasedm and the requirements (Cumulative Plastic Ductility) of the AISC Seismic Provisions were not satisfied. However, when high-strength steels were used as inner cores instead of conventional strength steel cores, the maximum capacity increased significantly and displayed similar performance in total energy dissipation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2008

Buckling-Restrained Braces (BRB) has been developed to inhibit buckling and exhibit stable behavior underboth tensile and compresive cycles. In this study, an experime nt has been conducted by using the strength of its members and loading protocols as parameters to evaluate the structural performance of BRB (without in-filed concrete). Specimens are composed of an inner core and an outer tube with diferent steel strengths. When high-strength steels were used as iner cores, the ductility of BRB decreased, and the requirements (Cumulative Plastic Ductility) of the AISC Seismic Provisions were not satisfied. however, when high-strength steels were used as inner cores instead of conventional strength stel cores, the maximum capacity increased significantly and displayed similar performance in total energy dissipation.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.37-46
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• 2009

In this study, the seismic performance of the Buckling Restrained Knee Bracing (BRKB) system was evaluated through a pin-connected 1-bay 1-story frame. The BRKB system using a bolted channel section developed was composed of a steel plate as a load-resisting core member and two channel sections as a restrainment of the local and global buckling of the core plate. The main purpose of the BRKB system is to be used as an effective tool to re-strengthen/rehabilitate old low- and mid-rise RC frame buildings, which do not have enough seismic resistance to earthquake loadings. The main variables for the test specimens were the size of the core plates, stiffeners and the use of guide plates. The test results showed that the size of the core plate, which was the main element for the load-resisting member, was the most important parameter to achieve ductile behavior under tension as well as compression, until the maximum displacement exceed twice the design drift limit given by the AISC Seismic Provisions.