ABSTRACT
This paper describes a series of shaking table experiments in which a ten storey 1/12 scale knee braced frame was subjected to different earthquake motions. The effect of the knee bracing configuration, and the strength, type and intensity of the input motions on the global response of the frames were examined in terms of several measures of structural performance. The response of the frames was less sensitive to the strength of the knee element than the characteristics of the earthquake. The knee element deformation through the height of the building followed the pattern of the first model shape at low and moderate earthquakes. Finally, 1-D and 2-D nonlinear numerical models were developed to model the motion of the frames and the results compared with the physical test results.
