Application of buckling restrained braces to upgrade vertical stiffness of existing RC frames

In this paper, based on the RC frame structure of an industrial building, the finite element model of the structure is developed, according to the Chinese code for seismic design of buildings [9]. Considering the lack of seismic performance, the buckling restrained brace (BRB) is adopted for seismic retrofitting, and various configurations of buckling restrained support are considered for reinforcement. The elastic response spectrum analysis (RSA) and direct integration nonlinear time history analyses (NL-TH) are carried out for the frame structure before and after reinforcement using ETABS finite element software. From the joints displacement, inter-story displacement, inter-story shear force, acceleration, energy dissipation, and other aspects of the seismic response of the strengthened structure and the non-strengthened structure, the comparison has been made. The effect of buckling restrained support and common support on the existing building structure is verified through analytical modeling. After reinforcement, there is a 40%, 39.3%, 40%, 36.4%, and 38.3% reduction in the first period of vibration after the building is strengthened by inverted BRB, V BRB, two-story BRB, single BRB, and ordinary steel braces, respectively. Strengthening of the structure by buckling restrained braces and ordinary steel braces both decrease the original building displacement by more than 50% from the first to the fourth floor. Under severe earthquakes, the use of BRB reduced the column shear by 46.6%; similarly, the incorporation of ordinary steel braces reduced the column shear by 4.72%. It is concluded that using buckling restrained braces will increase the vertical stiffness of the structure to a very high extent.