Seismic performance of precast column-beam joint with artificial plastic hinge

To improve the seismic performance and repairability of precast structures, an artificial plastic hinge (APH) was proposed for precast beam-column joint. The proposed APH was made from a combination of steel and high-strength-concrete (HSC), and the AHP will dissipates energy through metal plastic deformation when the earthquake occurs. To carry out the research, three full-scale beam-column joints were designed and fabricated, including one cast-in-place joint and two precast joints with APH. By using hysteretic loads, the seismic performance of joint was examined. For more systematic research, the finite element models were established and verified, and the parameter analysis was carried out. The findings demonstrate that the proposed joint performs well in terms of ductility and energy dissipation. It is recommended to use 12 mm steel plate thickness in the actual design, and to ensure the number of connecting bolts to avoid connection damage under earthquake. Through design optimization, the damage to the APH will be revealed at the location of the replaceable steel components, so as to achieve rapid repair after the earthquake.