Effect Of Seismic Frame Action On The Performance Of Buckling-Restrained Brace End Connections

Buckling-restrained braces(BRBs), one type of high performance hysteretic dampers with stable and full hysteresis behavior, have been widely implemented into building structures to minimize seismic damage. To ensure the practical use of BRBs as energy dissipation fuse, design of BRB end connections is one of crucial importance. The traditional design method believe that BRB end connections are only subjected to axial forces, which don’t consider the effect of frame action on the performance of BRB end connections. To promote the research of buckling-restrained braces, this article intends to discuss the effect of seismic frame action on the performance of buckling-restrained brace end connections by theoretical analysis, experimental study and finite element calculation:1) First of all, this article makes a conclusion of the effect of steel non-moment frame action on the performance of buckling-restrained brace end connections, and puts forward a theory of deformation mode, the generation of bending moment, calculation method of frame action on the buckling-restrained brace end connections.This paper also analyses the influence of different framework action and geometric parameters of buckling-restrained brace on the performance of BRB end connections.2) then, the BRB model experiment verifies high seismic performance of the sandwiched all-steel BRB configuration, which applicated into the designing and producing of full-scale buckling-restrained braces. To consider different frame action, full-scale BRB component experiment designs two kinds of load framework. Experiment results verify the theory of deformation mode, the generation of bending moment, calculation method of frame action on the buckling-restrained brace end connections.3) Finally, this paper uses the finite element software ABAQUS to establish simplified mechanics model to simulate full-scale BRB component experiment. Caculation results verify the rationality of the finite element model. This paper establishs finite element model for different parameter analysis, discussing the amplification effect of BRB end connection moment induced by bending deformation. Caculation results verify rigid body theory results.