Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 331-343 (2026)
RESEARCH ON THE EXTERNAL RESTRAINED UNITS STIFFNESS OF SEGMENTED ASSEMBLED BUCKLING-RESTRAINED BRACES
Shuai Xu 1, 2, Cheng-Xin Guo 1, *, Yan Li 1, 2, Xiu-Li Wang 1, 2, Mei-Qiu Zhan 1, 2 and Yuan-Hong Hu 1
1 School of Civil Engineering, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China
2 Key Laboratory of Architectural Cold Climate Energy Management, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China
*(Corresponding author: E-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Received: 10 September 2025; Revised: 17 January 2026; Accepted: 22 January 2026
DOI:10.18057/IJASC.2026.22.3.9
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ABSTRACT
The peripheral units of the novel segmented assembled buckling-restrained braces (SABRBs) are assembled by connecting the upper and lower restrained cover plates to the lateral C-shaped steel restraint units using multiple sets of bolts. Owing to the discontinuity of the lateral restraint units, calculating the restraint stiffness becomes relatively complex. In comparison with integrally restrained BRBs, SABRBs necessitate additional consideration of the effects arising from bolt installation. Given the non-uniform lateral forces transferred from the inner core plate to the C-shaped steel restrained units, the SABRBs are assumed to rotate about their width axis. The reduction in stiffness of the peripheral restrained units is primarily attributed to torsional deformation of the plates adjacent to the bolts. In this study, a mechanical model is established that incorporates both the flexibility of bolted connections and the effective area of the restrained plates. By analyzing the deformation mechanism of the peripheral restrained units in the segmented assembled SABRBs, the corresponding force transfer process is examined. Through theoretical derivation and numerical analysis, a formula for the stiffness reduction coefficient μ0y is derived. Strategies such as optimizing segment layout and adding stiffeners to laterally restrained units are proposed to control this coefficient. Finally, a calculation method for the stiffness of peripheral restrained units is presented. The proposed formula is validated using parametric finite element analyses and experimental data.
KEYWORDS
Deformation mechanism, Assembled buckling-restrained brace, Restrained Stiffness
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