Experimental and Simulation Study on Seismic Behavior of Beam-Column Joints with Cast Steel Stiffener

A series of six full-scale cruciform H-shaped beam to square tube column joint with cast steel stiffener specimens was tested under cyclic loading to study the seismic behavior of the new joints. A parametric numerical analysis based on the test results was also conducted. The hysteretic curves of specimens not filled with concrete were full, and the ones of specimens filled with concrete were pinched. The maximum moment resistance of the joints filled with concrete in the column increased from 10 to 30% compared with that of the joints not filled with concrete. The energy dissipation coefficient of the joints not filled with concrete in the column varied from 2.681 to 3.585, whereas it changed from 1.892 to 1.711 for the joints filled with concrete when the width of the square tube column ranged from 300 to 500 mm. The results demonstrate that the joints with cast steel stiffeners have excellent moment capacity, deformation performance, and energy dissipation coefficients. The new joints could potentially be applied in a seismic region. (c) 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.