Retrofit steel frame with ordinary brace and buckling-restrained brace

As a sensitive energy dissipation component, the Buckling-Restrained Brace (BRB) is superior to ordinary brace due to its excellent energy dissipation ability and ductility during earthquake. The basic composition of BRB as well as its mechanical behaviour is introduced. The loading-progress of the BRB is precisely simulated considering various nonlinearities by FEM software ANSYS and the influence of restraint ratio to the BRB are put forward. Two methods of retrofitting steel frames with ordinary brace or Buckling-Restrained Brace are compared using the software SAP2000. The results show that the Buckling-Restrained Brace is a reliable and practical alternative to conventional lateral load-resisting systems, and is capable of enhancing the earthquake resistance of new and existing structures.