Cyclic behaviour of prefabricated connections for steel beam to concrete filled steel tube column

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the cyclic behaviour of an innovative prefabricated connection system for steel beam to concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) column. In this connection system, internal stiffeners and threaded steel rods are used to stiffen the panel zone of the connection, and beams in two directions are bolted to the side plates pre-welded to the column side surfaces. Four specimens were examined under reversed cyclic loads applied by hydraulic actuators. Focus of the experimental study is given to hysteretic behaviours of the connections, including the inter-story shear force and drift ratio relationships and moment-rotation behaviours, showing superior energy dissipation than those in reinforced concrete structures in general. Furthermore, a numerical investigation is completed on the seismic performances of steel-concrete composite frame structures with integration of the moment-rotation behaviours of the beam-column connections from the experimental results. The effect of the beam-column connections on the structural behaviours, especially the yielding sequence of the structural components is clarified through this study. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.