Horizontal Cyclic Performances of Hook-End U-Shaped High-Damping Rubber Jointed Precast Frame

Abstract

In the past few decades, many efforts have been carried out to investigate and improve the cyclic performance of the precast structure joints using high-strength steel bars and plates. However, the utilization of high-damping rubber (HDR) is mainly limited as the bearing pad below the structural components to dissipate the cyclic energy. Hence, a new hook-end connection precast beam–column joint embedded with U-shaped HDR is developed in this study to investigate energy dissipation capacity and equivalent viscous damping ratio in a precast frame. The horizontal cyclic performance of the new connection is experimentally tested, numerically analyzed, and evaluated by comparing to precast reinforced concrete frame specimens built with monolithic and conventional pinned dowel connections. The experimental results showed that the precast frame with newly developed connection exhibited fatter hysteretic curves, approximately 15% and 13% higher cumulative energy dissipation capacity, and equivalent viscous damping ratio than the control specimen with conventional pinned dowel connection, respectively. Besides, it also attained similar yield force and approximately 6% lower maximum force compared to the monolithic specimen. The force–displacement backbone curves obtained from the numerical analysis also showed satisfactory matching in yield force, maximum force and maximum displacement when compared to the experimental results.