Effect of axial forces on the performance of links in eccentrically braced frames

The damage to an eccentrically braced frame due to a major earthquake is designed to be confined to a highly ductile link. The link acts as a safety valve for the structure. The post-elastic behaviour of the link and its performance up to failure has been evaluated using a finite element model, with the link subjected to a cyclic loading. The results obtained from the finite element model were verified against test data. The model was used to …