Seismic Behavior of Existing Reinforced Concrete Structures Retrofitted with Steel-braced Frames

Seismic Behavior of Existing Reinforced Concrete Structures Retrofitted with Steel-braced Frames

Steel-braced frames provide an excellent approach to retrofitting and stiffening existing reinforced concrete(RC) structures. They also have the advantages of fast construction and good ductility, and can be retrofitted to achieve a variety of objectives, ranging from drift control to collapse prevention. They have highly practical value for hospitals, congregate housing, and commercial buildings. Because steel is stronger than RC material, boundary columns can be easily damaged by a steel frame under seismic loading. Thus, the seismic performance of the whole structure could be reduced when vertical columns are damaged. This study concerns the development of a new retrofitting method for steel-braced frames. The new method prevents damage to boundary columns and provides a high resistance to seismic loading. In addition, a performance evaluation method is used to ensure that the steel-braced frames are appropriately designed for practical purposes.