Open Access proceedings Journal of Physics: Conference series


 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

89 

 

Eccentricity effect on the cyclic response of braced frame type-

V  

Lilya Susanti1,*, Ming Narto Wijaya1   

1Civil Engineering Department, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, Indonesia 

*lilya_st@ub.ac.id  

Received 18-04-2022; accepted 29-04-2022 

Abstract. Eccentricity on the braced frames can sometimes not be avoided to facilitate some 

structural considerations, such as openings. V-type braced frames are among the most widely 

used bracing types because of their satisfying performance. The present study investigated the 

effect of eccentricity as 15 cm, and 25 cm on the reinforced concrete braced frames of 80 cm x 

100 cm in dimension compared to V-type of Concentric Braced Frame (CBF). Results indicated 

that a frame with 15 cm of eccentricity has almost similar stress but higher strain compared to 

the CBF while the frame with 25 cm of eccentricity resulted in lowest stress but highest strain. 

As the eccentricity rises, a frame is likely to behave as a moment-resisting frame. Link beams 

are the most critical part of the Eccentric Braced Frame. 

Keywords: Cyclic load, Eccentric Braced Frame (EBF), Lateral load, Strain, Stress.  

1.  Introduction 

Lateral load on the structural frames is usually identified as a wind or a seismic load. It acts on the 

lateral axis, resulting in the flexure mechanism to the columns structure and axial or normal mechanism 

to the beams structure. Structural hysteresis behaviour can be investigated using this loading condition, 

and even dissipation energy can be identified. The cyclic load application on the frame structure can 

reduce the axial structural capacity by 50% of the actual capacity even with only one strong cyclic load 

[1]. 

There are three types of frame structures that have been widely used worldwide so far. They are 

Moment Resisting Frame (MRF), Concentric Braced Frame (CBF) and Eccentric Braced Frame (EBF). 

CBF is the most rigid structure, resulting in small ductility. Discussing about lateral load, ductility has 

an important function. For example, the structures located in severe earthquake zones have to be 

designed in a fully ductile structure to maintain structural integrity against the external loads. Bracing is 

the most efficient and easiest choice to stiffen the frame. There is an only axial mechanism inside the 

bracing structure [2]. 

Some bracing types usually used as a stiffener on the frame structures are diagonal, V, inverted-V, 

K, X, Y and many more. Diagonal bracing is simple, while X-type results in the heaviest frame structure. 

CBF sometimes becomes over in structural rigidity, resulting in small ductility. For that reason, using 

EBF is a wise choice to get the satisfying structural rigidity and the fit ductility to carry the outside 

loads. EBF also offers flexibility for the frame structures to facilitate some architectural considerations 

because the bracing positions can be moved at a certain distance, such as placing the doors, windows, 



 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

90 

 

etc. Some studies regarding the bracing-frame performance are the experimental study on the diagonal 

EBF under lateral load by Setyowulan, Susanti and Wijaya [3], link beam on EBF by Musmar [4], a 

comparative analysis of various bracing systems related to the earthquake-resistant design by Islam, 

Mehandiratta and Yadav [5], the performance of EBF under seismic load by Prasad and Prasad [6] and 

also comparison study of bracing configuration on EBF structures by Wilson, Rafael and Lukas [7] and 

by Razak et al. [8]. 

V-type of EBF structure is one of the most widely chosen structural bracing types other than the 

diagonal type because of its satisfying performance. V- bracing type provides an adequate rigidity 

compared to diagonal bracing but is not as high as X-type, which can sometimes be over rigid. Satisfying 

structural weight results in a balanced performance, not over rigid but also providing ductility to the 

frame structure. Performance of V-type EBF was investigated by Wijaya, Susanti and Syafirra [9] 

through the study on the shear stirrup space variation under cyclic load and analytical study on the cyclic 

response of EBF-V structure Bouwkamp, Vetr and Ghamari [10]. 

2.  Material and Methods 

The present experimental study was conducted at the Structure and Construction Material Laboratory 

of Brawijaya University. Three total models were investigated, consisting of one CBF and two EBF 

structures using 15 and 25 cm of eccentricity span. Detailed dimensions of the present models are shown 

in Figure 1. The mix design procedure uses the concrete grade K-175 (f'c = 14,525 MPa). To verify the 

suitability of the concrete grade, the experimental study used three standard concrete cylinders for each 

model that were compressively tested using Compression Testing Machine to get the actual concrete 

compressive strength. The present research also conducted a tensile test using Universal Testing 

Machine to obtain the actual steel grade for the used steel reinforcement. 

   

  

CBF model EBF – 15 cm model 

 

 

EBF – 25 cm model Model's cross-section 

Figure 1. Detailed dimensions of CBF and EBF models 



 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

91 

 

The cyclic load was set using two load cells on the loading frame, placed at the lateral direction on 

the top of each left and right column. The bottom beam was set fixedly to the loading frame, so there 

was no axial and shear displacement on the bottom of both columns. To eliminate the vertical 

displacement at the top of column structures and the top beam, the present experiment used a steel plate 

with the steel bars placed between the plate and the top beam, so only lateral displacement exists. Figure 

2 shows the model's setting on the loading frame. 

 

 

Figure 2. Model's setting on the loading frame 

 

Left and right load cells consecutively gave the lateral loads to illustrate the cyclic load. The load 

increment was gradually increased from 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the maximum load. The maximum load 

was determined using the previous experimental result of 7000 kg. Each load increment was applied 

five times consecutively from the left and right load cells. The recorded output is the load coming from 

the load cell, the displacement from LVDT and the strain from the steel and concrete strain gage. Two 

LVDT were used at the same place with the load cell. Strain gages were placed at the critical parts of 

the frame structures.    

3.  Result and Discussion 

Compression and tensile tests were conducted for concrete and steel bar samples applied for the 

mainframe models. The tensile test result showed that the steel bar samples for diameters 4 mm and 6 

mm had yield stress of 422,301 MPa and 453,886 MPa while the ultimate strength reached 688,615 MPa 

613,041 MPa, respectively. According to the slump test result of the concrete samples, the average 

slump value was 13,67 cm, which means that the concrete mixture has good workability. Finally, the 

concrete compressive test result found that the average compressive strength of 19,52 MPa goes beyond 

the designed mixture is 14,525 MPa. 

Figure 3 shows the application of cyclic loading on the frame, while Figure 4 shows the load versus 

displacement history of the present frame models where the blue colour indicates the first phase (25% 

of the maximum load), orange colour shows the second phase (50% of the maximum load) and green 

colour indicates the third phase (75% of the maximum load). Each phase consists of five times loading 

steps consecutively from the right, and in Figure 4, it can be seen that the CBF model reached the 

maximum cyclic load (phase 3 – step 2/5250 kg) while EBF – 25 cm resulted in a minimum load (phase 

2 – step 2/3500 kg). EBF – 15 cm is on between phase 3 – step 1/5250 kg. The highest displacement 

was recorded at 15 cm. Hence, from the previous explanation, it can be summarized that EBF – 15 cm 

Locking system 

Steel bar 

Locking system 

Steel plate 



 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

92 

 

provides a suitable strength and ductility compared to the CBF model, which is too stiff and EBF – 15 

cm, which is too weak. 

 

Figure 3. Cyclic loading test on the loading frame  

 

 

 
 

CBF EBF – 15 cm 

 
EBF – 25 cm 

Figure 4. Load-displacement behaviour 

 

Compression stress and strain history can be seen in Figure 5. The compressive strains were 

recorded from the strain gage placed inside the bottom of each frame model's right concrete column 

structure. Blue for phase 1, orange for phase 2 and grey colour for phase 3. The strain values shown 

in the figure have to be multiplied by 10-6. The lowest compressive strain resulted from the CBF 

model (183 x 10-6) but the highest compressive stress simultaneously (216.337 MPa). EBF – 15 cm 

showed almost similar performance to CBF (compressive strain as 183 x 10-6 and stress as 216.257 

MPa), and EBF – 25 cm resulted in a much higher compressive strain (785 x 10-6) but lowest stress 

as 144 MPa. From all models' compressive stress and strain history, some deviated strains result due 

to over high sensitivity of the strain gages. But generally, as an eccentricity increases, the compression 

strain increases but the stress decreases.   



 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

93 

 

  
CBF EBF – 15 cm 

 
EBF – 25 cm 

Figure 5. Compression stress-strain behavior 

 

A steel strain gage placed on the steel reinforcement at the bottom of the left column structure from 

each model was used to record the tensile strain parameter. Figure 6 shows the tensile stress versus strain 

behavior of each frame. The tensile behavior can be seen compared to the compression strain result. The 

lowest to biggest maximum strains have resulted from CBF (552 x 10-6), EBF – 15 cm (959 x 10-6) and 

EBF – 25 cm (1130 x 10-6), respectively. It confirms the previous conclusion that the most rigid frame 

was CBF (tensile stress as 144.18 MPa), then followed by EBF – 15 cm (tensile stress as 216.283 MPa) 

and EBF – 25 cm (tensile stress as 144.18 MPa).  

 

  
CBF EBF – 15 cm 

 
EBF – 25 cm 

Figure 6. Tensile stress-strain behavior  

 



 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

94 

 

CBF, EBF – 15 cm and EBF – 25 cm models have collapsed due to failures in the different locations 

of the frames. ECF model could reach a higher cyclic load if the bottom beam does not collapse. The 

bracing and mainframe structure still has a capacity against the load. EBF – 15 cm collapsed on its link 

beam and column's bottom parts which means that for EBF structures, the link beam is the most critical 

part. It was proved by EBF – 25 cm model, where the structure was also extremely damaged on its link 

beam (Figure 7). Hence, future research should strengthen the bottom columns, beam, and link beam 

parts. 

 

 

 

CBF EBF – 15 cm 

 

EBF – 25 cm 

Figure 7. Frame model's failures 

  

4.  Conclusions 

The experimental result indicated that the maximum cyclic load decreased as the eccentricity 

increased. EBF with an eccentricity of 15 cm showed almost similar strength to CBF. On EBF with the 

eccentricity of 25 cm, the maximum load decreased by 33% compared to CBF. On the other hand, strain 

increases as eccentricity increases. For EBF-15 cm and EBF-25 cm, the tensile strain improved by 73% 

and 100%, respectively, compared to CBF. Compressive strain also increases by 10% and 300% for 

each EBF-15 cm and EBF-25 cm compared to CBF. It proved that as the eccentricity increases, the 

longer the link beam, the structural stiffness decreases but the ductility increases.   

 



 

 

 

 
Civil and Environmental Science Journal 

Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 089-095, 2022 

 

 

 

95 

 

References 

[1] E. P. Popov, Introduction to Mechanics of Solids. 1979. 
[2] B. S. Smith and A. Coull, Tall building structures:Analysis and Design. 1991 
[3] D. Setyowulan, L. Susanti, and M. N. Wijaya, "Study on the behavior of a one way eccentric 

braced frame under lateral load," Asian Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 21, no. 4, Feb. 2020. 

[4] M. A. Musmar, "Effect of link on eccentrically braced frames," Journal of Engineering Sciences, 
vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 035–043, Jan. 2020. 

[5] J. U. Islam, M. Mehandiratta, and R. Yadav, "Earthquake resistant design – a comparative 
analysis of various bracing system with RC-frame," IJEDR, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 079–085, 2019. 

[6] P. Prasad, and B. Prasad, "Performance behavior of eccentrically braced steel frame under 
seismic loading," IJITEE, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. 1077–1090, Jul. 2019. 

[7] J. W. M. Rafael, and A. Y. Lukas, "Comparison study of bracing configuration with shear link in 
eccentrically braced frame steel structure," Journal Innovation of Civil Engineering , vol. 1, no. 

1, pp. 007–017, Apr. 2020. 

[8] S. M. Razak, T. C. Kong, N. Z. Zainol, A. Adnan, and M. Azimi, "A review of influence of 
various types of structural bracing to the structural performance of buildings," CENVIRON Proc., 

vol. 034, no. 01010, 2017. 

[9] M. N. Wijaya, L. Susanti, and S. Syafirra, "Effect of shear stirrup space on short link beam of 
eccentric braced frame (EBF) V-type under cyclic loading," GCEE Proc., vol. 2447, no. 030008, 

2021. 

[10] J. Bouwkamp, M. G. Vetr, and A. Ghamari, "An analytical model for inelastic cyclic response of 
eccentrically braced frame with vertical shear link (V-EBF)," Case Studien in Structural 

Engineering , vol. 6, pp. 031–044, 2016.