Effects of blast loading on buckling-restrained braces of a single- and two-bay chevron frame

The emerging use of buckling-restrained braced frames (BRBFs) as a seismic force-resisting system and the threat of blast can be catastrophic as the effects can lead to loss of life and failure of the building. Buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) have been researched and investigated under seismic activity. In this research, investigation on how a building with lateral framing system consisting of BRBFs behaves under the impact of blast loading. Particular focus was set on how the behavior of the frame was influenced as the concrete strength was increased in the concrete fill of the BRBs. A single- and two-bay analyses were performed. The study found that the BRBs would start bend as a result of the blast load. This bending would lead to failure in the BRBs as the braces would rupture. The concrete encasing would also become the weakest member as it would fail first due to crushing by the steel brace. The loaded column would fail near the support on the flange and web intersection. A two-bay BRBF schematic was deemed better at resisting the blast load when compared with the single-bay BRBF.