1

ASSESSMENT OF SEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF ECCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME

WITH DOUBLE VERTICAL LINK (DV-EBF)

M. A. Shayanfar
1
and A. R. Rezaeian
2



ABSTRACT

This paper is an experimental study on the behavior of vertical shear link in the single and
double configurations. There have been three specimens selected for examining the effects of
different details .The first specimen was an I section with no stiffener, while the second
specimen composed of I section with stiffeners designed according to AISC 2005. Third
specimens were composed of two I section with stiffeners. The tests carried out were of quasi-
static kind and conducted on a full scale. The comments on double links are at first, explained
in details and construction method, loading and test are then expressed. The details rendered
for double vertical link have been in such a way that the results obtained show increase in its
shear capacity and ductility.

INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, due to their appropriate seismic parameters, the use of Eccentrically Braced
Frames in seismic design and seismic rehabilitation of structures in seismic areas is
attendance. Thanks to its stiffness as high as that of CBFs and owing to its ductility
compared to that of MRFs in severe earthquakes, the system shows appropriate behavior.
Configuration of these frames is to such an extent that a horizontal or vertical eccentricity (e)
forms at the end of brace members, Figure 1. This eccentricity is called link or fuse. These
frames are designed so that the links are the weakest parts of the structure, and forming
nonlinear deformations at the time of severe earthquakes in this region, dissipate energy
resulted from earthquake and prevent any damages to other members of structure and in fact
other members remain in elastic region (Popov, Ricles, and Kasai, 1992).








Fig. 1. Types of eccentrically braced frames.

Generally, advantages of vertical link to horizontal link consist of:

Transfer of nonlinear deformations to the outside of storey beam and only energy
dissipation in vertical link and prevention of deformation in storey beam, Figure 2.

1
-Dept. of Civil Engineering, Iran University Science and Technology, Iran
2
- Dept. of Civil Engineering, Iran University Science and Technology, Iran
2
Simple replacement of vertical link after the earthquake because it is out of basic loading
system.
Application in seismic rehabilitation of the existing buildings due to its low effect on
basic lateral resisting system.







Fig. 2. Display of deformation of eccentrically braced frames.
Length of link is a considerable point in eccentric braces. The shorter the link, the higher the
shear force as compared to bending moment and the frame's behavior is said to be shear. The
effect of bending moment increases along the long length of the link, and the frame behavior is
called bending. Shearing behavior is mostly emphasized in frames with vertical link.

Dimensional proportionality between floor beams and link size, the use of doubler plates on
storey beam web due to formation of concentrated moment and so on are the limitations of the
use of vertical link in seismic rehabilitation of structures (Shayanfar, Rezaeian, Taherkhani
2008).

The use of two vertical links is suggested to decrease the abovementioned limitations, Figure. 3.These
eccentrically braced frame systems with double vertical link are called DV-EBF. The use of
double vertical links has the following advantages over single vertical link:
Decrease in the number of braced bays and as a result decrease in the number of brace
members and their connections.
Decrease in concentrated moment applied to the beam and control of panel zone adjacent
to vertical link in storey beam.
Decrease in the design force of the connection details of vertical links to storey beam and
brace members.






Fig. 3. Display of eccentrically braced frame with double vertical link.

Numerical studies concerning DV-EBF, including consideration of stability and their cyclic
behavior, were conducted by the authors of the paper and the results imply general appropriate
behavior (Shayanfar, Rezaeian, and Taherkhani 2009).

3
RESEARCH METHOD
The method used in this paper is to focus on experimental study of specimens behavior outside
the frames, although numerical analyses have been used to determine loading protocol. The
considered specimens will be single and double.

PROPOSED DETAILS
Figure 4 shows proposed details concerning double vertical links. (Shayanfar, Rezaeian, and
Taherkhani 2009).









Fig. 4. Proposed details of double vertical links.

TEST SETUP

In eccentrically braced frames with single and double vertical link (V&DV-EBF) storey shear is
tolerated by the link, Figure 5-a, and other members should remain in elastic region, and as a
result, the nonlinear behavior of these frames is summarized in the consideration of link
behavior.

It is noteworthy that such theory is thoroughly true if only the stability of the whole frame is
provided; and numerical and experimental studies have demonstrated the stability of whole
frame in similar cases (Vetr 1998). Towards this end, boundary conditions similar to that of
vertical link were developed in the frame and the links were examined out of the frame.

The most important characteristic of frames with vertical links is non-equality of end moments of
links as a result of non-equality of the stiffness of floor beam and brace members, Figure 5-b.









4






(a) Diagram of Shear (b) Diagram of Moment
Fig. 5. Display of shear and moment in the vertical link.

To simulate such case in laboratory, one end of link is connected to the strong floor and the other
end is connected to a loading beam with much lower stiffness than that of laboratory floor. The
upper and lower parts of the specimen should remain in a parallel manner to prevent the effect of
bending deformations. To this end, two bases, an upper beam and four rollers at two ends of
loading beam were utilized, Figure 6.













Fig. 6. Test setup.

DESIGN OF SPECIMENS

Design of specimens is expressed in two general parts consisting of dimensions and length of
vertical link.

Selection of Dimensions

Design of specimens (both single and double) had to be conducted according to the limitations
existing in the laboratory and their manufacture. For example, owing to the fact that the webs of
rolled profiles usually have real yielding tension higher than nominal tension (nominal tension is
2400 kg/cm
2
and real tension is 3500 kg/cm
2
) and that they, as links, do not meet the conditions
of Code, we decided to use a plate girder with appropriate specifications. Towards this end, a
plate with real yielding tension of 2490 kg/cm
2
was used as the link web (this steel was selected
from ST33). Whereas the flanges do not play any considerable role in the link shear strength,
there is no need that their yielding tension is higher than the specified level; and the normal steel,
M
2

M
1

V
Loading Beam
Jack
Strong Floor
Rollers
5
that is ST37, was used. Dimensions and sizes of the specimens were selected and designed
considering numerous parameters. Some of theses parameters are as follows:
The weld between web and flange is capable of tolerating the tension resulted from shear
yield and web strain hardening.
Weld between the sample and upper and lower plates for connection to strong floor and
loading beam should tolerate forces applied until the end of loading.
The holes existing in the strong floor are capable of tolerating forces applied against
bearing.

Considering the above items, a plate girder was designed for single link, Figure 7.









Fig. 7. Specifications of the plate girder for single link.

Dimensions of double links were obtained and their M
p
and V
p
were compared with that of
single links as a comparison of the results obtained from single and double links. Where M
p
and
V
p
are nominal flexural capacity and nominal shear capacity of the link, respectively. The
specifications of double links are shown in Figure 8.







Fig. 8. Specifications of plate beam made for double link.

Selection of Link Length

If the link length is short enough, shear yielding will occur prior to flexural yielding and then due
to combination of the kinematic and isotropic strain- hardening link's forces can reach
approximately to 1.2Mp and 1.5Vp in bending and shear, respectively. Accordance with the links
free diagram, Equation 1 is suggested to ensure formation of shear hinges prior to flexural
hinges. Also, AISC-2005 recommends this equation.

p
p
V
M
e 6 . 1

1
2
5

150
5
.
3

(1)
6
Kasai et al. suggested using of the factor 1.4 in lieu of 1.6 in order to ensure shear behavior. As
mentioned in the test setup for vertical links, the end moments of the link will not be equal,
Figure. 5. Thus, Equation 1 will be modified to Equation 2 for such links:
( )
1
2
& 1 8 . 0
M
M
V
M
e
p
p
= +

Bauwkamp & Vetr (1998) applied the following conservative Equation 3 to design maximum
length of vertical shear links of specimens based on reports of Kasai et al. about weld rupture at
connection of horizontal links to column.
( )
1
2
& 1 35 . 0
M
M
V
M
e
p
p
= +

In this study we use equation 3 for determine of link length.

SELECTED SPECIMENS

The following three specimens were tested in the study:
Specimen 1: Single steel link without stiffener (VSL1), Figure 9.










Fig. 9. Details of specimen 1.

Specimen 2: Single steel link with stiffener (VSL2); the stiffeners were designed according to
AISC 2005. Considering such a design, two stiffeners 21 cm in 10.7 cm and the distance of
13.5cm should be mounted at one side of the link, Figure 10.









Fig. 10. Details of specimen 2.

Specimen 3: double steel link with stiffener (DVSL), this specimen include two links whose
stiffeners were designed according to AISC 2005(AISC 2005). Considering such a design, a stiffener
12cm in 6 cm and the distance of 12.5 cm should be mounted at the one side of the link, Figure 11.


A A
Sec A-A
A A
Sec A-A
PL 21010710
(2)
(3)
7






`

Fig. 11. Details of specimen 3.

INSTRUMENTATION

Load Cell, LVDT and Strain gage were used to record the data resulted from the tests. Strain gages
used were of linear and rosette type, mounted on specimen flange and web of specimen, respectively.
Several LVDTs in different places were used to record the displacements of specimen. Two load
cells with a capacity of 100 tons were also mounted to record the load amount in loading cycles.

LOADING PROTOCOL

This research made use of ATC24 (ATC24, 1992) to determine the loading history. The use of
AISC2005 (AISC, 2005) was also possible to determine loading protocol, yet this protocol was
presented to consider connections in EBFs but not the general behavior of a frame. It goes
without saying that the remarks of the abovementioned Code authorize the use of ATC24. The
use of AISC2005 was not therefore considered. According to ATC24, loading is conducted first
by force control and then by displacement control.
Yielding point was about 1.6mm for the first and second samples, but the yielding displacement
was 1mm for the third sample, and it therefore has a different loading protocol.

TEST OBSERVATION

Specimen 1

This specimen yielded at displacement of 1.6 mm and began to fail from the middle of the shear
panel at the step 26 equal to the displacement of 25mm. Figures 12 and 13 show the images
obtained from the observations of the loading stages. It is noteworthy that, in this test, the
upraising of the lower plate from strong floor beam was due to the moment created therein. Such
phenomenon occurs at the displacement 12 mm. This is shown in Figure 14. The hysteretic
diagram for this specimen is shown in Figure 15.









A
A
Sec A-A
PL 120608
8












Fig. 12. Initial web plastic. Fig. 13. Web rupture.












Fig. 14. Uprising of specimen 1. Fig. 15. Hysteresis diagram of specimen 1.

Specimen 2

Two stiffeners were mounted on the plates connecting the specimen to the strong floor, Figure 17.
No upraising from the strong floor was seen during the test. The specimen yielded at
displacement 0.16 and began to fail from near the upper stiffener at step 38 equivalent to
displacement 32mm. Figures 16 and 17 shows some images obtained from the observations
made at loading stages. Hysteretic diagram of the sample is shown in Figure 18.












Fig. 16. Initial web plastic. Fig. 17. Web rupture.

-32000
-22000
-12000
-2000
8000
18000
28000
-35 -25 -15 -5 5 15 25 35
Displacement (cm)
S
h
e
a
r

c
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

(
K
g
)
stiffener
9











Fig. 18. Hysteresis diagram of specimen 2.

Specimen 3

As mentioned before, the value of the moment applied to the ends of the links is expected to
decrease considerably in double links. The side stiffener plates were not therefore mounted on
the plate connecting to the strong floor (in this test, connection plate is exactly like that of
specimen 1) and no upraising from the strong floor was observed during the test. This sample
yielded at displacement 1mm and began to fail from the left side of the connection to the
stiffener at displacement 22mm. Figures 19 and 20 shows some images obtained from these
observations. Hysteretic diagram of the sample is shown in 21.












Fig. 19. Web plastic in cycle 9. Fig. 21. Web rupture.











Fig. 21. Hysteresis diagram of specimen 3.
-40000
-30000
-20000
-10000
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
-35 -25 -15 -5 5 15 25 35
Displacement (cm)
S
h
e
a
r

c
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

(
K
g
)
-50000
-35000
-20000
-5000
10000
25000
40000
-25 -15 -5 5 15 25
displacement (cm)
s
h
e
a
r

c
a
p
a
c
i
t
y

(
k
g
)
10
CONCLUSION

1. The hysteretic diagrams of samples 1 and 2 coincide before the beginning of the shear plastic
buckling, but there is a significant decrease in the loading and stiffness of sample 1.
In fact, presence of stiffeners causes delay in the shear buckling of the web and plays a very
remarkable role in increasing the sample ductility. But due to the stress concentration, and
approximately during the rotation 0.08 Rad., the web fails when contacting the stiffener.
2. Consideration of hysteretic diagrams implies that the initial and final cycles are influenced by
isotropic strain and kinematic hardenings respectively.
3. Double links almost behave monotonously from the beginning to the end of the test and show a
symmetrical hysteretic diagram.


REFERENCES

AISC. 2005. Seismic Provision for structural steel Building.
ATC. 1992. Guidelines for seismic testing of components of steel structures report-24. applied
technology council.
Popov, E.& Ricles, J.M. & Kasai, K. 1992. Methodology for optimum EBF link design.
Proceedings, 10th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 39833988.
Shayanfar.M, Rezaeian.A ,Taherkhani.S.2008 .Introduction of EBFs with Double Vertical Links
(DV-EBF) and Their Application in Rehabilitation in Comparison with other Bracing .
Proceedings, 1st International Conference on Seismic Retrofitting .Tabriz.Iran.
Shayanfar.M, Rezaeian.A ,Taherkhani.S.2009 .Introduction and Study of Seismic Behavior of
Eccentrically Braced Frames With Double Vertical Link (DV-EBFs). Steel & Structure 4 (in
Persian)
Vetr. M G .1998.Seismic behavior , analysis and design of eccentrically braced frames with
vertical shear links . ph. D thesis . University of technology Darmstadt w. Germany.