Seismic design and hybrid tests of a full-scale three-story concentrically braced frame using in-plane buckling braces

This research investigates the brace-to-gusset connection designs to allow the braces buckle in the plane (IP) of the frame. In order to study the performance of the IP buckling brace connections with different design details, five 3,026 mm- long A36 H 175 × 175 × 7.5 × 11 mm braces were tested using cyclically increasing axial displacements. All specimens failed at an average axial strain less than 0.025 due to the brace fracture at the mid-length where severe local buckling had occurred. Pseudo-dynamic tests on a three-story special concentrically braced frame (SCBF) using the proposed brace end connection details for six A36 H 150 × 150 × 7 × 10 mm braces were conducted using the PGA = 597 cm/s² LA03 record to confirm with the component tests. The knife plates and IP buckling braces sustained a peak 0.049 rad interstory drift under the design base earthquake without fracture. The highly nonlinear responses were satisfactorily predicted by OpenSees. Recommendations on the seismic design of the IP buckling brace connections are provided.