Computational study on stiffened topology-optimized shear links for eccentrically braced frames

This study presents a numerical investigation into the performance of topology-optimized shear links in eccentrically braced frames (EBFs). Stiffened variations of an X-shaped topology-optimized (TO) link were introduced, incorporating additional stiffening elements to enhance strength and energy dissipation. The optimized links were analyzed under monotonic and cyclic loading and tested numerically within full-scale EBF systems. Results demonstrated that the optimized links outperformed the conventional reference shear links (RSL-1) in multiple aspects. TO-00 and TO-01 links exhibited 22% higher base shear, with TO-01 achieving the highest energy dissipation, 31% greater than the conventional shear link over the loading history. Under cyclic loading, the baseline TO link (TO-00) recorded the highest shear strength (660 kN), surpassing RSL-1 by 34%. Stiffened links showed improved stress distribution, improving overall ductility. Additionally, the damping coefficients of TO links improved, considering previous research on TO shear links. These findings highlight the feasibility of topology-optimized shear links for seismic applications, offering a balance between superior structural performance and manufacturability.