Numerical Investigation of the Seismic Performance of an Innovative Type of Buckling-Restrained Brace (BRB)

Previous studies have demonstrated that the inclusion of tire-derived aggregate (TDA) enhances the damping, ductility, and toughness of concrete mixtures. The effectiveness of tire-derived aggregate as a ductile material with a higher damping ratio and lower density in buckling-restrained braces has been examined at California State University's Structures Laboratory (CSU). Through experimental and theoretical investigations, this study compares the structural application of buckling-restrained braces with TDA and with conventional concrete infill subjected to various ground motions as well as artificial excitations. The evaluations include modeling a full-scale experimental setup equipped with a single-leg BRB utilizing ETABS 2016 and OpenSees 2000 software. The effectiveness of the application is demonstrated through a comparison of accelerations, displacements, stiffness, and damping ratios between TDA and concrete filling. Additionally, a design guideline for TDA-filled buckling-restrained braced frames is provided.