ABSTRACT
In the current study, cyclic axial tests on carbon steel and stainless steel hollow section members were carried out up to complete fracture, in order to simulate the behaviour of bracing members in concentrically braced frames. The cyclic behaviour of the bracing members in terms of hysteretic response, displacement ductility and energy dissipation were evaluated. Several sensitivity and parametric studies, using numerical models and a damage prediction method verified against experimental results, were conducted to compare the performance of structural members of different materials over ranges of the full global and local slenderness permitted in the ductile design of earthquake resistant concentrically braced frames (EN 1998-1, 2004).
