Optimal Design Parameters of Stiffeners for Improving Seismic Performance of Links in EBFs

In eccentrically braced frames (EBFs), the link beam is the main factor determining the behavior of this type of system. In order to enhance the ductility and delaying the web and flange buckling, the link beam is reinforced using intermediate web stiffeners to improve its performance and energy dissipation capacity. The web stiffeners spacing criteria is based on short links under pure shear, which have been applied without considering the bending effect on intermediate links. In this paper, first the effects of stiffener details and section geometry on the link behavior are investigated using finite element modeling, and then by proposing an optimization model, new spacing is proposed for stiffeners of intermediate links that is also consistent with bending distribution, and enhances the performance of intermediate links significantly. To further investigate the results of the optimization model and sensitivity analyses results, the behavior of a total of 52 short, intermediate and long links with different lengths and sections is simulated and investigated under cyclic loading based on ANSI/AISC 341-10 (Seismic provisions for structural steel buildings, Chicago, American Institute of Steel Construction, 2010) using ABAQUS. The results show that the section geometry in W-beams affects the stiffeners spacing and thereby, the behavior of intermediate and long links. According to the obtained results in short links, stiffeners spacing are very conservative and can be increased, and for intermediate links, adjusting the stiffeners spacing based on the proposed optimization model can significantly enhance the performance of the link beam.