Enhancing seismic resilience of steel frames through a novel passive control system with non-buckling metal braces

Abstract

Abstract In this study, a novel passive control mechanism was proposed to enhance the seismic resilience of steel frames through the implementation of a new bracing system. This system involved the design of a non-buckling metal brace featuring both bean-shaped and rectangular cross-section apertures. Subsequently, the impact of various geometric parameters of this damper on its buckling resistance was investigated through computational simulations conducted using ABAQUS finite element software. The study also evaluated the influence of the new system specifications on the mechanical response of the steel frame. The findings revealed that the first buckling load for the brace with one bean-shaped groove and five bean-shaped grooves was determined to be 1.69 kN and 1.25 kN, respectively. This indicates a 25% reduction in the first buckling load with an increase in the number of bean-shaped grooves from one to three, rendering the brace susceptible to buckling. It gave values for rectangular groove braces as 1.67 kN and 1.06 kN, which is a 36% reduction. Another implication of the study is that the adaptability of the bean-shaped core depends on the individual frames, and an increment in the opening length improves the performance of the rectangular core.

Keywords

• Seismic resilience
• Steel frames
• Passive control system
• Non-buckling metal braces
• Structural damping