BUCKLING RESTRAINED BRACE
A buckling restrained brace includes an axial member, a plurality of restraining members, and a plurality of securing units. The axial member includes a middle section extending in an axial direction, and two coupling sections extending respectively from opposite ends of the middle section and coupled fixedly to two connecting plates of a framework of a building. The restraining members extend in the axial direction and are disposed around and contact the axial member. Each securing unit secures an adjacent pair of the restraining members together. Each restraining member cooperates with an adjacent one of the restraining members to define an opening therebetween through which a portion of the axial member is exposed for viewing.
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This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/106,397, filed on May 12, 2011, and abandoned as of the filing date of this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a buckling restrained brace, more particularly to a buckling restrained brace that includes an axial member visible from the outside of a wall structure in which the buckling restrained brace is embedded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Concentrically braced frames are generally used in a framework of a building for enhancing economically the lateral stiffness of the framework to resist lateral force of an earthquake. A buckling restrained brace, which is a kind of the concentrically braced frames, is particularly configured to have a relatively full hysteresis loop for effectively absorbing vibration energy generated by the earthquake so as to minimize damage to the framework resulting from the shock of the earthquake. A conventional buckling restrained brace generally includes an axial member that is surrounded fixedly by a restraining member, and that is not visible from the outside of the restraining member. As a result, the restraining member has to be destroyed before an examination as to whether the axial member needs to be changed may be made. However, once the restraining member is destroyed, the entire buckling restrained brace would be damaged and has to be replaced by a new one, regardless of whether the axial member was damaged by the shock of the earthquake.
As shown in
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a buckling restrained brace which can be easily examined after being subjected to shock of an earthquake.
Accordingly, a buckling restrained brace of the present invention is adapted to be connected fixedly between two connecting plates of a framework of a building. The buckling restrained brace comprises an axial member, a plurality of restraining members, and a plurality of securing units. The axial member includes a middle section that extends in an axial direction and that has opposite ends in the axial direction, and a pair of coupling sections that extend respectively from the opposite ends of the middle section and that are adapted to be coupled fixedly to the connecting plates, respectively. The restraining members extend in the axial direction, and are disposed around and contact the axial member. Each of the securing units secures an adjacent pair of the restraining members together. Each of the restraining members cooperates with an adjacent one of the restraining members to define an opening therebetween through which a portion of the axial member is exposed for viewing.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
As shown in
The axial member 1 is configured as an elongated steel plate, and includes a middle section 11 extending in an axial direction (L) and having opposite ends in the axial direction (L), and a pair of coupling sections 12 extending respectively from the opposite ends of the middle section 11 and adapted to be coupled fixedly and respectively to the connecting plates 6 through a variety of joints, such as butt joints, lap joints, and so on.
The restraining unit 2 includes a plurality of restraining members 21 extending in the axial direction (L) and disposed around and contacting the axial member 1. In this embodiment, the restraining unit 2 includes a pair of restraining members 21 clamping the axial member 1 therebetween. Each of the restraining members is configured as a steel rectangular tube. The restraining members 21 cooperate with each other to define two openings 20 therebetween. One of the openings 20 is registered with the through hole 92 in the one of the wall plates 9, such that a portion of the axial member 1 is exposed for viewing from the outside of one of the wall plates 9 through the through hole 92.
Each of the restraining members 21 has a surface 2101 that contacts a surface 101 of the axial member 1, and that has a contour substantially the same as that of the surface 101 of the axial member 1. Preferably, a ratio of a width of the surface 2101 of each of the restraining members 21 to that of the surface 101 of the axial member 1 ranges from 0.1 to 2.0.
As shown in
Each of the securing units 30 includes a pair of spaced-apart connecting components 3 and a plurality of fastening units 4. The connecting components 3 extend in the axial direction (L), are located adjacent to a respective one of the openings 20, and are connected respectively to the restraining members 21. In this embodiment, the fastening units 4 of each securing unit 30 are spaced-apart from each other in the axial direction (L), and each of which is configured as a solder 41 fitted between the connecting components 3 of a corresponding one of the securing units 30 for securing the connecting components 3 together. Preferably, each of the securing units 30 further includes a plurality of spaced-apart reinforcing members 43 that are spaced apart from the fastening units 4 in the axial direction (L) and fitted between the connecting components 3 of the corresponding one of the securing units 30. As shown in
Since the axial member 1 is visible through the through hole 92, it can be directly examined after suffering from shock of an earthquake without requiring removal of the restraining unit 2 from the axial member 1.
As shown in
In addition, referring to
As shown in
As shown in
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. A buckling restrained brace adapted to be connected fixedly between two connecting plates of a framework of a building, said buckling restrained brace comprising:
- an axial member including a middle section that extends in an axial direction and that has opposite ends in the axial direction, and a pair of coupling sections that extend respectively from said opposite ends of said middle section and that are adapted to be coupled fixedly to the connecting plates, respectively;
- a plurality of restraining members that extend in the axial direction, and that are disposed around and contacting said axial member, each of said restraining members having a surface that contacts a surface of said axial member and that has a contour substantially the same as that of said surface of said axial member; and
- a plurality of securing units, each of which secures an adjacent pair of said restraining members together;
- wherein each of said restraining members cooperates with an adjacent one of said restraining members to define an opening therebetween through which a portion of said axial member is exposed for viewing.
2. The buckling restrained brace as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of a width of said surface of each of said restraining members to that of said surface of said axial member ranges from 0.1 to 2.0.
3. The buckling restrained brace as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said securing units includes:
- a pair of connecting components extending in the axial direction, located adjacent to said opening of the adjacent pair of said restraining members, and connected respectively to the adjacent pair of said restraining members; and
- a plurality of fastening units spaced apart from each other in the axial direction and fastening said connecting components together.
4. The buckling restrained brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said fastening units of each of said securing units is configured as a solder fitted between a corresponding pair of said connecting components.
5. The buckling restrained brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said fastening units of each of said securing units includes a bolt extending through a corresponding pair of said connecting components, and a nut secured threadedly to said bolt.
6. The buckling restrained brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said securing units further includes a plurality of spaced-apart reinforcing members spaced apart from said fastening units in the axial direction and fitted between a corresponding pair of said connecting components.
7. The buckling restrained brace as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said securing units includes a bolt extending through the adjacent pair of said restraining members, and a nut secured threadedly to said bolt.
8. A building comprising:
- a wall structure including a pair of spaced-apart wall plates, one of said wall plates being formed with a through hole; and
- a framework disposed between said wall plates, and including a pair of connecting plates and a buckling restrained brace that is connected fixedly between said connecting plates, and that includes
- an axial member including a middle section that extends in an axial direction and that has opposite ends in the axial direction, and a pair of coupling sections that extend respectively from said opposite ends of said middle section and that are coupled fixedly to the connecting plates, respectively,
- a plurality of restraining members extending in the axial direction, and disposed around and contacting said axial member, and
- a plurality of securing units, each of which secures an adjacent pair of said restraining members together,
- wherein each of said restraining members cooperates with an adjacent one of said restraining members to define an opening therebetween, one of said openings being registered with said through hole of said one of said wall plates so that a portion of said axial member is exposed for viewing.
9. A structure comprising:
- a structure body; and
- a framework disposed in said structure body and including a pair of connecting plates and a buckling restrained brace that is connected fixedly between said connecting plates, and that includes an axial member including a middle section that extends in an axial direction and that has opposite ends in the axial direction, and a pair of coupling sections that extend respectively from said opposite ends of said middle section and that are coupled fixedly and to said connecting plates, respectively, a plurality of restraining members extending in the axial direction, and disposed around and contacting said axial member, and a plurality of securing units, each of which secures an adjacent pair of said restraining members together, wherein each of said restraining members cooperates with an adjacent one of said restraining members to define an opening therebetween through which a portion of said axial member is exposed for viewing.
10. The structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said restraining members of said framework has a surface that contacts a portion of said axial member of said framework and that has a contour substantially the same as that of said surface of said axial member.
11. The structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein a ratio of a width of said surface of each of said restraining members to that of said surface of said axial member ranges from 0.1 to 2.0.
12. The structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said structure body includes a pair of spaced-apart wall plates, one of said wall plates being formed with a through hole, one of said openings being registered with said through hole.
13. The structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein said structure is one of a building, a bridge, a wharf, a dam, a tower, an electrical tower and a tunnel.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 28, 2013
Publication Date: Jun 6, 2013
Applicant: NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES (Taipei City)
Inventor: NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES (Taipei City)
Application Number: 13/751,773
International Classification: E04B 1/98 (20060101); E04B 1/19 (20060101);