Self-Centering Energy-Dissipative (SCED) Brace: Overview of Recent Developments and Potential Applications for Tall Buildings

The self-centering, energy-dissipative (SCED) brace is an innovative cross-bracing system that eliminates residual building deformations after an earthquake while simultaneously dissipating energy to reduce drifts. Several recent studies are summarized which have confirmed and extended the capabilities of SCED braces. These include a multi-storey SCED frame shake table test, a high axial-capacity SCED brace prototype, and a telescoping configuration called the T-SCED brace which greatly increases axial elongation capacity. These recent advancements have improved the desirability of SCED braces for use in high-rise structures because the braces can now better accommodate the larger forces and elongations prevalent in tall buildings. SCED braces may also provide an increased level of performance compared to other damping systems for tall buildings because they are designed to return a structure to its original, undeformed position after an earthquake. This paper reviews several potential configurations for the use of SCED braces in tall buildings, including the use of SCED braces in tall braced frames, coupled with shear walls and with vertical outriggers.