Investigation on the behaviour and performance of replaceable inverted-Y dissipation device in eccentric braced frame steel structures

Abstract

Eccentric Braced Frame (EBF) steel structures are proven to possess good seismic performance due to their ability to combine high ductility and good lateral stiffness. It is important to note that the links in the EBF are designed to experience and dissipate energy through inelastic deformation. The vertical link offers excellent performance in dissipating energy and ensures easier replaceability. Therefore, this study was conducted to further enhance the energy dissipation capacity and effectiveness of this link through the addition of yielding braces to form a new passive energy dissipation device called the Inverted-Y Dissipation Device (i-YDD). The pushover and cyclic analyses conducted showed that the diagonal parts of the proposed device deformed inelastically and contributed to a higher energy dissipation. The capacity was reported to have increased by 19% compared to the EBF designed with only vertical links. Moreover, the simulation conducted showed that the proposed device had a stable hysteretic response under cyclic loads, and this meant it offered a promising alternative as replaceable seismic energy-dissipating device for new and existing structures. It was observed that a few parameters, such as the angle and length of i-YDD as well as the thickness of continuity plates affected the effectiveness of i-YDD in dissipating energy. Furthermore, the design requirements and hierarchy to obtain the best possible performance from i-YDD were also presented.