Earthquake resistant hollow and filled steel braces

Abstract

The earthquake resistance of many building structures is provided by steel bracing members. Although the use of tension-only concentric bracing is common, the behaviour of these systems is not fully understood, and international design guidance differs. Hollow section members are often employed as bracing elements, for both structural and aesthetic reasons. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the seismic behaviour of such members. The influences of mortar infill and of member slenderness are addressed, mainly through experimental studies.