Low damage braces using Asymmetrical Friction Connections (AFC)

Braces equipped with Asymmetrical Friction Connection (AFC) details, assembled with Bisalloy 500 shims and placed at one end of the braces, have been tested quasi-statically. It is shown that braces equipped with AFC details are characterized by a repeatable hysteretic behaviour with strength degradations up to 10%. This degradation corresponds to the case where braces are subjected up to 40 cycles across the effective stroke of the connection with no components replaced or bolts re-tensioning. Also, outof-plane brace deformation slightly causes a change in strength with axial displacement. Effective friction coefficients ranging between 0.16 and 0.20 were obtained for AFC braces.