A critical review on buckling restrained braces

Currently, buckling restrained braces are gaining popularity in earthquake resistant designs. These braces facilitate stable hysteretic behaviour with a non -buckling steel core encased in a steel tube, which is filled with concrete or mortar. However, in the last few years, researchers have observed that there is no need for the filler material and these braces can be made of steel. This paper presents a summary of buckling restrained braces on the grounds of numerical and experimental research results and attempts to summarize the basic design provisions according to the American standards and recommendations from the available research. The paper also discusses the concept, stability criteria, initial and post stiffness, energy dissipation capacity, failure modes observed, and the practical applications of buckling restrained braces, followed by conclusions and future suggestions for the development of these braces.