The experimental study of seismic behavior promotion of link beams constructed by castellated section in EBFs

Lack of instruction and standards for seismic design of steel structures in 1370 (solar calendar) in IRAN, resulted to extensive use of castellated beams in eccentrically braced frames as a link. According to aforementioned issue the study of seismic behavior of such frames have been necessitated. Link beam, as the place for plastic hinge creation in EBFs, has the main role to damp the seismic energy and quality of seismic behavior of these frames. Due to web openings in castellated link beams, and to lack of extending plastic hinge in web and possibility of brittle fracture modes creation, the capacity of energy damping of EBFs decreases. In this experimental study, 4 link beam are built as samples, which one of them has no stiffener, another one has the recommended stiffener by AISC2010, and the last two samples have recommended details with longitudinal and diagonal stiffeners. Semi-statics cyclic loading apply to all the samples results have shown two ordinary link beams have non-ductile behavior, strength and rigidity reduction, and the two recommended details by authors have shown promoted seismic parameters.