Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental study on slender buckling-restrained knee braces with round steel bar cores

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Structural and Civil Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate a novel slender buckling-restrained knee brace damper (BRKB) for welded and weld-free steel framing systems. The proposed BRKB adopts steel bar cores connected by a central coupler and restrained by tube buckling restrainers with a cover tube supporter. The advantages of the proposed damper include easy assembly compared to conventional buckling restrained braces, and high architectural flexibility for the retrofitting of large-span weld-free or welded steel moment-resisting systems. Specifically, by increasing the number of contraction allowances, undesirable failure mechanisms that are global instability and local buckling of the restrainer ends can be effectively suppressed because the more uniform plastic deformation of the core bar can be achieved longitudinally. In this study, displacement-controlled compression and cyclic loading tests were carried out to investigate the deformation capacities of the proposed BRKBs. Structural performance metrics associated with both loading tests, such as strength capacities, strains at the cover tubes and buckling restrainers, and hysteretic behaviors of the proposed damper under cyclic loads, were measured and discussed. Test results revealed that the geometrical characteristics of the cover tubes and adopted contraction allowances at the dampers play essential roles in their load-bearing capacities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Horikawa K, Sakino Y. Review of damage in welded joints caused by the Kobe earthquake. Transactions of JWRI, 1995, 24(2): 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  2. Youssef N F G, Bonowitz D, Gross J L. A Survey of Steel Moment-Resisting Frame Buildings Affected by the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. Report No. NISTIR 5625. 1950

  3. Bruneau M, Chia-Ming D, Gross JL, Sabelli R. Ductile Design of Steel Structures. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2011

    Google Scholar 

  4. Xu T, Zheng D, Yang C, Deng K. Seismic performance evaluation of damage tolerant steel frame with composite steel-UHPC joint. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2018, 148: 457–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Xu T, Zheng D, Yang C, Deng K. Experimental and analytical study of fully prefabricated damage-tolerant beam to column connection for earthquake-resilient frame. Journal of Structural Engineering, 2019, 145(3): 04018264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Tagawa H, Nagoya Y, Chen X. Bolted beam-to-column connection with buckling-restrained round steel bar dampers. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2020, 169: 106036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Mander T J, Rodgers G W, Chase J G, Mander J B, MacRae G A, Dhakal R P. Damage avoidance design steel beam-column moment connection using high-force-to-volume dissipaters. Journal of Structural Engineering, 2009, 135(11): 1390–1397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Balendra T, Sam M T, Liaw C Y, Lee S L. Preliminary studies into the behaviour of knee braced frames subject to seismic loading. Engineering Structures, 1991, 13(1): 67–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Balendra T, Sam M T, Liaw C Y. Diagonal brace with ductile knee anchor for a seismic steel frame. Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics, 1990, 19(6): 847–858

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Balendra T, Lim E L, Lee S L. Ductile knee braced frames with shear yielding knee for seismic resistant structures. Engineering Structures, 1994, 16(4): 263–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Mahmoudi M, Montazeri S, Sadr Abad M J S. Seismic performance of steel X-knee-braced frames equipped with shape memory alloy bars. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2018, 147: 171–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Aristizabal-Ochoa J D. Disposable knee bracing: Improvement in seismic design of steel frames. Journal of Structural Engineering, 1986, 112(7): 1544–1552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hsu H L, Li Z C. Seismic performance of steel frames with controlled buckling mechanisms in knee braces. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2015, 107: 50–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Leelataviwat S, Suksan B, Srechai J, Warnitchai P. Seismic design and behaviour of ductile knee-braced moment frames. Journal of Structural Engineering, 2011, 137(5): 579–588

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Asghari A, Gandomi A H. Ductility reduction factor and collapse mechanism evaluation of a new steel knee braced frame. Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, 2016, 12(2): 239–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Asghari A, Saharkhizan S. Seismic design and performance evaluation of steel frames with knee-element connections. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2019, 154: 161–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Inoue K, Suita K, Takeuchi I, Chusilp P, Nakashima M, Zhou F. Seismic resistant weld-free steel frame buildings with mechanical joints and hysteretic dampers. Journal of Structural Engineering, 2006, 132(6): 864–872

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kawai D, Koetaka Y, Suita K. Mechanical behavior and design method of weld-free steel structure with knee brace damper using square tube column. In: the 15th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering. Lisbon: Sociedade Portuguesa de Engenharia Sismica, 2012

    Google Scholar 

  19. Byakuno Y, Koetaka Y, Inoue K, Morooka S. Desing and experimental verification on the performance of the buckling-restrained knee brace. Japanese Society of Steel Construction, 2005, 12(45): 233–241 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Shin J, Lee K, Jeong S H, Lee H S, Kim J. Experimental and analytical studies on buckling-restrained knee bracing systems with channel sections. International Journal of Steel Structures, 2012, 12(1): 93–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kim J, Seo Y. Seismic design of steel structures with buckling-restrained knee braces. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2003, 59(12): 1477–1497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Tagawa H, Kaneko S. Cyclic Performance of buckling-Restrained Knee Brace Damper with U-shaped holes. In: Proceedings of the seventh Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering. Bangkok: Asian Institute of Technology, 2018

    Google Scholar 

  23. Sarti F, Palermo A, Pampanin S. Fuse-type external replaceable dissipaters: Experimental program and numerical modeling. Journal of Structural Engineering, 2016, 142(12): 04016134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang C L, Liu Y, Zhou L. Experimental and numerical studies on hysteretic behavior of all-steel bamboo-shaped energy dissipaters. Engineering Structures, 2018, 165: 38–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Liu Y, Wang C L, Wu J. Development of a new partially restrained energy dissipater: Experimental and numerical analyses. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2018, 147: 367–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Yang S, Guan D, Jia L J, Guo Z, Ge H. Local bulging analysis of a restraint tube in a new buckling-restrained brace. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2019, 161: 98–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Fujii S, Tagawa H. Experimental study on buckling-restrained braces using round steel bar cores and double steel tubes. Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering, 2010, 75(650): 879–885 (in Japanese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Mateus J A S, Tagawa H, Chen X. Buckling-restrained brace using round steel bar cores restrained by inner round steel tubes and outer square steel tube. Engineering Structures, 2019, 197: 109379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Mateus J A S, Tagawa H, Chen X. Buckling-restrained steel bar damper for spine frame system. Engineering Structures, 2021, 229: 111593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Munkhunur T, Tagawa H, Chen X. Steel rigid beam-to-column connections strengthened by buckling-restrained knee braces using round steel core bar dampers. Engineering Structures, 2022, 250: 113431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Chen C C, Lin C C, Lin C H. Ductile moment connections used in steel column-tree moment-resisting frames. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 2006, 62(8): 793–801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Maezawa M, Kuwada R, Ishida T, Kishiki S, Satsukawa K, Yamada S. Study on the seismic retrofit of angle brace joint using knee members. Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering, 2019, 84(766): 1589–1599 (in Japanese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Taga K, Komatsu S, Inoue K. Seismic retrofitting of the beam-to-column connection with welded defects by installing pre-loaded knee brace. Journal of Steel Construction Engineering, 2006, 13(52): 57–64 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  34. MEXT. Seismic Retrofitting Quick Reference: Schools Facilities that Withstand Earthquakes. Tokyo: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 2006

    Google Scholar 

  35. Tsuru J, Murakami S. Summary of the Field Survey and Research on “The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake” (the Great East Japan Earthquake). NILIM No. 647, BRI No. 150. 2011

  36. Takeuchi T, Wada A. Japan Society of Seismic Isolation. Tokyo: Buckling-Restrained Braces and Applications, 2017

    Google Scholar 

  37. Fujimoto M, Wada A, Saeki E, Watanabe A, Hitomi Y. A study on the unbonded brace encased in buckling-restraining concrete and steel tube. Journal of Structural Engineering, AIJ, 1988, 34b: 24–58 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  38. BCJ. Specifications for BRB Certifications. Tokyo: Building Center of Japan, 2016 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  39. ANSI/AISC 341-16. Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings. Chicago: American Institute of Steel Construction, 2016

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by JSPS KAKENHI (NO. JP19K04711) and the Mongolia—Japan Higher Engineering Education Development Project (MJEED) (Joint Research Code J16D22). We would also like to express our appreciation to Mr. Shota Koga, a former undergraduate student at Hiroshima University, for his assistance in conducting the compression loading tests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan

    Togtokhbuyan Munkhunur

  2. Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan

    Hiroshi Tagawa & Xingchen Chen

Authors
  1. Togtokhbuyan Munkhunur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hiroshi Tagawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xingchen Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroshi Tagawa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Munkhunur, T., Tagawa, H. & Chen, X. Experimental study on slender buckling-restrained knee braces with round steel bar cores. Front. Struct. Civ. Eng. 17, 99–121 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-022-0875-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-022-0875-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation