Mechanics of Structures and Materials XXIV

The energy dissipation capacity of a conventional steel-braced structure subjected to earthquake loads is limited due to the low buckling capacity of the braces in compression. It has been shown that the energy dissipation or damage-prevention capacity of a steel framed structure can be greatly enhanced by employing Buckling-Restrained Braces (BRBs) (Xie 2005, Black et al. 2002), which also offer an improved inelastic deformation capacity. Consequently, the demands for inelastic deformation of other structural members will be greatly reduced.