Development and experimental evaluation of cam-grip type compression-free energy dissipative braces

Abstract

Recent efforts have focused on developing novel energy dissipation braces that allow only tensile yielding to overcome certain limitations of conventional braces and buckling-restrained braces (BRBs). Such limitations include insufficient information regarding the damaged state of braces in a post-earthquake scenario and the challenges associated with replacing heavy restraints to prevent steel cores from buckling. Generally, the available techniques adopt a saw-tooth mechanism that grips the core and only mobilizes the tensile forces in the brace. However, the discrete nature of saw-tooth systems may result in a slippage at the onset of the tensile loading cycle, thereby reducing the efficiency of the energy dissipation mechanism. This study introduces a novel Direction-based Force Control Mechanism (DFCM) utilizing a cam-type grip that ensures continuous gripping under reversed-cyclic loading. Using this mechanism, a new type of so-called compression-free energy dissipative braces (CEDBs) are developed and tested under reversed-cyclic loading. For this purpose, six CEDB specimens were fabricated and installed in a steel frame sub-assemblage. The frame-brace system was then subjected to quasi-static lateral drifts with increasing amplitudes to test the efficiency of the proposed device. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed bracing system only mobilizes the tension forces with significantly low slippage with about 1 % drift (Δ ≈ 2 mm). The system also exhibits a stable energy dissipation mechanism and reliable hysteretic properties under multiple cycles of large inelastic deformations. Furthermore, the damaged steel cores can be conveniently observed and replaced after a severe shaking event, while the same DFCM can be repeatedly used. Therefore, the proposed bracing system emerges as a cost-effective option for enhancing the lateral performance of structures subjected to dynamic loadings and strong ground motions. Besides, an idealized hysteretic model for this system was developed and validated; two examples of specimens were conducted as uniaxial elements with the proposed bilinear hysteretic; based on experimental results, it is shown that the proposed bilinear hysteretic model can capture important mechanical properties and energy dissipation of the specimens with reasonable accuracy of both CEDB specimens which the average difference between experiment results and Idealized CEDBs in yield force is about 10.87 %, the ultimate force is about 1.90 %, and the corresponding cumulative energy dissipation is about 6.98 %.