ABSTRACT
Steel eccentric bracing (EB) has been generated from an idea which is dated back to the 1970s-1980s (Roeder & Popov, 1978, Hjelmstad & Popov, 1983, Kasai & Popov, 1986, Popov & Engelhardt, 1988). EB is a versatile and effective steel structural system because of the possibility to tailor the required strength, stiffness and ductility. The use of short links is often preferred, because of the larger stiffness and ductility. Short links yield in shear and dissipate the earthquake input energy through cyclic plastic deformation, while developing some hardening. A good estimate of the peak shear strength developing prior to strength degradation due to buckling or fracture phenomena is essential at the design stage for the application of capacity design principles.
