A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON SEISMIC PERFORMANCE OF STEEL TRUSS STRUCTURES EQUIPPED WITH STEEL OR ALUMINUM ALLOY BRB MEMBERS

Abstract

 A comparative experimental study is presented on the cyclic behavior of steel truss structures whose diagonal members are of buckling-restrained braces (BRB) made of either steel (SM400) or aluminum alloy (A6061S-T6). The cross-sections of the diagonal members of both cases are identical (PL60x10). The test results have revealed that, due to the larger axial rigidity as well as the larger strain hardening effects in steel BRBs compared with aluminum BBBs, the truss with steel BRBs induces larger damages in the surrounding members than that of aluminum BRBs. This fact hints the favorable way of designing BRBs in real bridge structures, i.e., to avoid using excessively stiff bracing members is important.