Robust Performance-based Design of Concentrically Braced Steel Frame Buildings

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Abstract: Steel braced frame structures, especially concentrically braced frames, and are rapidly gaining popularity across the US. Concerns about (a) the cost and complexity of traditional moment frame construction, (b) the damage and disruption associated with large lateral displacements in frame structures, and (c) the substantial increases in seismic design forces in many regions are leading engineers to rely increasingly on the inherent strength and stiffness of concentrically braced frames. However, the seismic behavior of conventional concentrically braced frames has been questioned. This project systematically builds upon a significant, but currently disjoint body of existing experimental, theoretical and analytical research. By integrating this knowledge, supplementing it with important new data regarding the behavior of modern and innovative braced frame systems and undertaking a focused program of numerical simulations, a more comprehensive understanding of the complex nonlinear behavior of these systems is developed and used within a performance-based earthquake engineering evaluation framework to evaluate possible innovative strategies for improving seismic performance and to devise robust guidelines for design and analysis.