ABSTRACT
Dissipative designs, such as Eurocode 8 (CEN 2004), rely on the capability of parts of the structure (dissipative zones) to resist earthquake actions beyond their elastic range. In the case of concentrically-braced frames (CBF) with X-bracing, Eurocode 8 assumes that only the tension diagonals participate in the lateral resistance of earthquake-induced loading, and hence, in these structures dissipative zones are mainly located in the tension diagonals. This approach is different than that followed in other seismic design codes (Elghazouli 2003).
