Seismic performance of steel braced frames equipped with dissipative replaceable components

The structural performance of steel braced frames equipped with a new typology of dissipative replaceable components (called DRBrC) is analyzed and compared to the one of a traditional Concentrically Braced Frame (CBF) with diagonal-tension-only braces, highlighting pros and cons of the different solutions. The main benefit of the proposed system lies in the easy replacement of the damaged dissipative components after the earthquake, allowing to speed up retrofit operations without stopping the activities inside the building. The results of low-cycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis performed in the framework of the European research project DISSIPABLE confirmed the economic and environmental convenience of the system for repairing operations after seismic events. In the present work, two case study buildings, owing the same geometry and designed for the same loads with and without DRBrC devices, are analyzed and compared in terms of overall seismic performance, relevant parameters versus Intensity Measure (IM) indicators and fragility curves. An in-depth dissertation about design criteria, numerical modelling techniques and analysis procedures in the nonlinear field to be used for the DRBrC frames is provided.