Earthquake-resistant frame systems designed in accordance with current seismic provisions provide essential life safety during intensive ground motion. However, these systems often incur significant structural damage or residual drift due to energy dissipation in specific structural members, leading to challenging and costly repairs post-event. To address this issue, it is imperative to develop a structural system that effectively combines energy dissipation and self-centering properties to enhance the seismic performance of buildings. This paper presents a practical and cost-effective solution by modifying a conventional buckling-restrained brace (BRB) to achieve staged yielding in its core. The proposed multi-stage BRB (MSBRB) integrates isolated parallel cores with varying yield strengths: one core utilizes a low-yield-point (LYP) material with a lower yield strength, while the other employs high-strength steel (HSS) with a higher yield strength. This study rigorously examines the effects of different steel combinations on the re-centering behavior and energy dissipation of the MSBRB using ABAQUS finite element software. The results show that the dual-core MSBRB delivers stable hysteretic responses, appreciable energy dissipation, self-centering behavior, and large deformation capacity. Furthermore, the findings highlight that the strain hardening and yield point of the steels are critical factors in achieving a system with advanced seismic performance.
Azizi,H and Ahmadi,J . (2025). Development of a novel high-performance multi-stage yielding buckling-restrained braces. Journal of Structural and Earthquake Engineering, 1(1), 1-6.
MLA
Azizi,H , and Ahmadi,J . "Development of a novel high-performance multi-stage yielding buckling-restrained braces", Journal of Structural and Earthquake Engineering, 1, 1, 2025, 1-6.
HARVARD
Azizi H, Ahmadi J. (2025). 'Development of a novel high-performance multi-stage yielding buckling-restrained braces', Journal of Structural and Earthquake Engineering, 1(1), pp. 1-6.
CHICAGO
H Azizi and J Ahmadi, "Development of a novel high-performance multi-stage yielding buckling-restrained braces," Journal of Structural and Earthquake Engineering, 1 1 (2025): 1-6,
VANCOUVER
Azizi H, Ahmadi J. Development of a novel high-performance multi-stage yielding buckling-restrained braces. JSEE. 2025;1(1):1-6.
