This paper presents an innovative self-centering buckling-restrained brace (SC-BRB) composed of a shape memory alloy (SMA) cables based self-centering system and an all-steel BRB. This study commences with cyclic tests on individual SMA cable to understand the influence of annealing schemes and pre-tension procedures on their fundamental mechanical properties, such as strength, stiffness, self-centering capability, energy dissipation, as well as their degradation of the properties during cyclic loading. Based on the test results, the desired annealing scheme and training procedure for the SMA cables in the proposed SC-BRB were presented. The configuration and working principle of the proposed SMA-cables-based SC-BRB were subsequently described, followed by theoretical studies on hysteretic models of the proposed brace. Numerical simulations and parametric studies were carried out to investigate the mechanical performance of the proposed SC-BRB. The results show that the investigated SMA cable can reasonably scale up the satisfactory properties of the SMA wire. The initial elastic stiffness and the ‘residual’ self-centering force strength of the SMA cables, which are essential for the proposed SC-BRB application, can be greatly enhanced by inflicting certain pre-stress. The initial strain and area ratio of the pre-tensioned SMA cables are suggested to be designed as about 2.5% and in the range of 60%–71.4%, respectively, to achieve appropriate energy dissipation, residual deformation, and material cost of the proposed SC-BRB.

本文提出了一种创新的自定心屈曲约束支撑 (SC-BRB)，它由基于形状记忆合金 (SMA) 缆索的自定心系统和全钢 BRB 组成。本研究从对单个 SMA 电缆的循环测试开始，以了解退火方案和预紧程序对其基本机械性能的影响，例如强度、刚度、自定心能力、能量耗散以及它们的性能退化在循环加载过程中。根据测试结果，提出了所提出的 SC-BRB 中 SMA 电缆所需的退火方案和训练程序。随后描述了所提出的基于 SMA 电缆的 SC-BRB 的配置和工作原理，然后对所提出的支架的滞后模型进行了理论研究。进行了数值模拟和参数研究，以研究所提出的 SC-BRB 的机械性能。结果表明，所研究的 SMA 电缆可以合理地放大 SMA 线的令人满意的性能。SMA 电缆的初始弹性刚度和“残余”自定心力强度对于所提出的 SC-BRB 应用至关重要，可以通过施加一定的预应力来大大提高。建议预张拉 SMA 电缆的初始应变和面积比分别设计为 2.5% 和 60%–71.4% 的范围内，以实现所提出的适当的能量耗散、残余变形和材料成本SC-BRB。结果表明，所研究的 SMA 电缆可以合理地放大 SMA 线的令人满意的性能。SMA 电缆的初始弹性刚度和“残余”自定心力强度对于所提出的 SC-BRB 应用至关重要，可以通过施加一定的预应力来大大提高。建议预张拉 SMA 电缆的初始应变和面积比分别设计为 2.5% 和 60%–71.4% 的范围内，以实现所提出的适当的能量耗散、残余变形和材料成本SC-BRB。结果表明，所研究的 SMA 电缆可以合理地放大 SMA 线的令人满意的性能。SMA 电缆的初始弹性刚度和“残余”自定心力强度对于所提出的 SC-BRB 应用至关重要，可以通过施加一定的预应力来大大提高。建议预张拉 SMA 电缆的初始应变和面积比分别设计为 2.5% 和 60%–71.4% 的范围内，以实现所提出的适当的能量耗散、残余变形和材料成本SC-BRB。可以通过施加一定的预应力来大大增强。建议预张拉 SMA 电缆的初始应变和面积比分别设计为 2.5% 和 60%–71.4% 的范围内，以实现所提出的适当的能量耗散、残余变形和材料成本SC-BRB。可以通过施加一定的预应力来大大增强。建议预张 SMA 电缆的初始应变和面积比分别设计为约 2.5% 和 60%–71.4% 的范围，以实现所提出的适当的能量耗散、残余变形和材料成本SC-BRB。