Cyclic Seismic Testing of Composite Concrete-Filled U-Shaped Steel Beam to H-Shaped Column Connections

In this study, the cyclic seismic performance of a concrete-filled U-shaped steel beam to H-shaped steel column connections was experimentally evaluated. The concrete-filled U-shaped steel beams were compositely attached to the concrete floor slab. The test was conducted in two stages. The first testing program was carried out on one-sided moment connections to find the most promising connecting scheme. The strengthening scheme, or welding steel plates to the beam bottom flange with minimized stress concentration, was shown to be the most satisfactory, and it was used in the second-stage test on two full-scale cruciform specimens. Considering the unique constructional nature of the proposed composite connections, the critical limit states such as weld fracture, local buckling, concrete crushing, and rebar buckling were carefully addressed in designing specimens. Test results showed that the connection details and design procedures proposed in this study can successfully control the critical limit states mentioned previously. The proposed connection detail successfully pushed the plastic hinging to the tip of the strengthened zone as intended in design, thus effectively protecting the more vulnerable beam-to-column welded joint. The specimens typically exhibited a maximum story drift capacity of more than 5.5% rad, exceeding the minimum limit of 4% rad required of special moment frames. Four of the five specimens tested in this study eventually failed because of a low-cycle fatigue fracture across the beam bottom flange at a high story drift greater than 5.0% rad.