Lightweight Buckling Restrained Brace Prototype Evaluation

Peter Dusicka, Portland State University

Summary:

Buckling restrained brace (BRB) is a structural component that has been developed to provide known and repeatable strength in both tension and compression. Over the last couple ofdecades, BRBs have seen broad adoption in buildings in areas ofmoderate to high seismicity due to their predictable response and replaceability potential. However, adoption to transportation infrastructure including bridges has been lacking. Building on previous OTREC research on strengthening braces using fiber reinforced composites, a lightweight corrosion resistant BRB was developed at Portland State University. Patent application was filed by PSU in January 2013. For application in infrastructure, such as retrofit ofbridges, the lightweight is attractive to simplify installation and the corrosion resistance is key for minimizing maintenance. The objective ofthis short-term project is to conduct proof ofconcept experiments by constructing and testing a prototype lightweight BRB.

Project Details

Project Type:
Research
Project Status:
In Progress
End Date:
September 30,2013
UTC Grant Cycle:
OTREC 2012
UTC Funding:
$25,000