Seismic design and performance evaluation of hybrid braced frames having buckling-restrained braces and self-centering viscous energy-dissipative braces

Abstract

Hybrid braced frames (HBFs) emerge as an innovative seismic-resilient system, synergizing the strengths of buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) and self-centering viscous energy-dissipative braces (SCVDBs). This novel system has the potential to simultaneously manage three key seismic demand parameters: peak inter-story drift (PID), residual inter-story drift (RID), and peak absolute floor acceleration (PFA). Nevertheless, a dedicated seismic design method for HBFs is yet to be developed. This research proposes a performance-based seismic design (PBSD) method specifically tailored for HBFs. The method's core relies on energy decoupling in the HBFs using a proposed energy distribution factor (η). To validate the proposed design method, sets of 4-, 8-, and 12-story braced frames are designed using varied η. A comprehensive seismic performance evaluation is conducted, utilizing nonlinear static and nonlinear time-history analyses. The findings indicate that the HBFs, designed utilizing different values of η, consistently meet predefined performance objectives. Within the scope of this study, the η value of 0.5 is shown to be optimal, enhancing the structural resilience of HBFs against PIDs and PFAs while exhibiting excellent self-centering performance comparable to the self-centering viscous energy-dissipative braced frame (SCVDF). Additionally, the HBFs demonstrate superior control over PFA compared to pure buckling-restrained braced frame (BRBF) and SCVDF.