Seismic performance of a steel frame structure with dissipative cladding connections

Abstract

In this study, a dissipative connection system for multistory steel frame structures is proposed, in which two bearing connectors are located at the top and a metal yielding dissipative connector (i.e., tapered connector) is located at the bottom of a large panel. Quasi-static test was conducted to investigate the performance of individual connectors first. Then two steel subassemblies, one having a steel frame with a large cladding panel and the other as its counterpart, a bare frame, were prefabricated and tested under quasi-static loading. Effect of the cladding panel and the proposed connections on the seismic performance of the steel frame was evaluated. It was indicated that the damage of the tapered connector was caused by the rupture of one energy dissipation plate during the fatigue loading and the hysteresis behavior of the connector was affected by the membrane effect. The proposed energy dissipation connector can improve the strength, stiffness, especially the energy dissipation capacity of the subassembly. However, the failure of both subassemblies was mainly caused by the yielding of the column foot and buckling of the beam end, therefore the cladding panel did not change the damage pattern of the steel frame. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) analysis was conducted to reproduce the tests of the connectors and the subassemblies, facilitating a better understanding of the working mechanism of the system.