This paper introduces a full-scale 3-story 3-bay composite structure, using concrete filled steel
tube (CFT) columns in a buckling restrained braced (CFT/BRB) frame, tested recently in the
Taiwan National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE). The specimen was
tested using pseudo dynamic test procedures and internet testing techniques. The test frame was
loaded to simulate the responses under ground motions corresponding to earthquake hazards for a
highly seismic location with 50%, 10%, and 2% chance of exceedance in 50 years in both Taiwan
and United States. The frame specimen was designed by displacement-based seismic design (DSD)
procedures considering a target inter-story drift limit of 0.025 radian for the 2% in 50 years hazard
level. This paper summarizes the analytical studies made before and after the tests and evaluates the
key structural performance. CFT/BRBF performed extremely well after the application of six
earthquake load effects. Very minor changes on stiffness and damping were observed as evidenced
from the free vibration tests conducted after each earthquake pseudo dynamic test. The peak story
drift reached 0.023 radian at the first story after applying the 2/50 design earthquake on the
specimen. Tests confirmed that the DSD procedure adopted in the design of the specimen is
effective in limiting the ultimate story drift. Tests also confirmed that the response of the CFT/BRB
frame can be satisfactorily predicted by using either OpenSees or PISA3D.
