Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Ductile Top-Flange Beam Splices for Improved Buckling-Restrained Braced Frame Behavior
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 9
Abstract
Buckling-restrained braced frame performance at high drifts is improved by providing beam splices that reduce demands in the gusset regions. Existing experimental data only consider web splices without a slab present. An alternative top-flange splice, proposed by others, was investigated experimentally and numerically. Two full-scale top-flange beam splices from a prototype frame were tested using the qualifying buckling-restrained brace frame cyclic loading protocol. During experimental testing, the gusset connection regions remained essentially undamaged through multiple cycles at 0.06 rad drift. The splice plates experienced low inelastic strains, but fatigue analyses indicate they could withstand over fourteen similar loading histories without requiring replacement. Finite-element models were used to investigate the influence of slabs on connections with web splices or top-flange splices. When slabs were considered, the top-flange splice transmitted over 70% less moment than the web splice.
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Acknowledgments
This work was possible because of support from Brigham Young University, Corebrace, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). The authors gratefully acknowledge the support while retaining full responsibility for the work and the conclusions presented in this paper.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 9 • September 2014
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 5, 2013
Accepted: Aug 23, 2013
Published online: Apr 18, 2014
Published in print: Sep 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Sep 18, 2014
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