Displacement-restraint bracing for seismic retrofit of steel moment frames

This paper presents a seismic retrofit method using wire rope (cable) bracing for steel moment-resisting frames. The retrofitted frame using the proposed bracing system exhibits ductile behavior and maintains seismic energy dissipation capacity to the same extent as the original bare frame. The bracing member does not act for small and medium vibration amplitudes. For large vibration amplitudes, the bracing member acts and restrains unacceptably large story drift. This retrofit method prevents an increase in the column compression force resulting from the brace action. Cyclic loading test results of the portal frames reveal fundamental characteristics of the proposed bracing system. Seismic response analyses are also conducted for the three-story moment-resisting frames. The effectiveness of the retrofit method is discussed in light of these test and analysis results.