Abstract: An eccentrically braced steel frame with replaceable energy dissipation link is consisted of two parts, i.e. the part of energy dissipation link and that of frame beam. The energy dissipation link has advantages of convenient replacement after earthquake as well as low cost. By utilizing software ABAQUS along with different appropriate parameters, ten models with replaceable energy dissipation link of eccentrically braced steel frames were build up for the case of monotonic loading to carry out numerical simulation, trying to predict, for the replaceable energy dissipation link and the whole braced steel frame, the capacity to bear longing, deformation extent and other mechanical properties. All results coming out of our analyses indicate that the eccentrically braced steel frame with replaceable energy dissipation link may concentrate plastic deformation of the structure on the energy dissipation link. Therefore, the eccentrically braced steel frame with this kind of energy dissipation link exhibits better ductility, higher initial stiffness and bigger capacity to bear loading. Consequently, the distribution of both stress and strain becomes more uniform in the frame beam structure.

Key words: replaceable energy dissipation link, eccentrically braced steel frame, finite element analysis, mechanical property