PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FOR BUCKLING RESTRAINED BRACES IN AN EXISTING BRIDGE FRAME

Abstract

 This paper describes damping performance of buckling restrained brace (BRB) for seismic retrofit in an existing bridge frame. In particular, strength and stiffness of beam which supports BRBs are focused. The cyclic loading test for frame system with two types of BRBs and analytical studies for assessment of reproducibility and generalized character have been carried out in order to examine a variety of structural features. This research proposes the asymmetric bi-linear model for BRB and also presents that relatively weak beam of an existing bridge frame and BRB interact with each other, however they have an insignificant effect on damping property.