Seismic performance and damage analysis of RC frame–core tube building with self-centering braces

Abstract

This paper examines the seismic responses of a reinforced concrete (RC) frame–core tube building with pre-pressed spring self-centering energy dissipation braces (PS-SCEDBs). The PS-SCEDB is a passive energy dissipation device with disc springs and friction pads. Parameters of PS-SCEDBs installed on the structure are designed according to the principle of equivalent stiffness, based on the parameters of a buckling-restrained brace (BRB) equipped on the original RC frame–core tube structure. The constitutive models of self-centering flag-shaped and bilinear elastoplastic hysteresis for PS-SCEDBs and BRBs, respectively, are developed and experimentally verified. The seismic performance of RC frame–core tube structures with PS-SCEDBs and BRBs, respectively, are studied and compared using non-linear time history analysis. Results show that the PS-SCEDB can substantially reduce residual drift ratios of a concentrically braced building while still capable of effectively controlling the peak inter-story drift ratio and damage of components adjacent to braces under rare earthquakes. The structure with PS-SCEDBs can effectively dissipate seismic energy without increasing damage to beams, columns, and shear walls.