Reinforced Concrete Beam-column Joints Research Articles

Seismic Response of RC Beam-Column Joints Strengthened with FRP ROPES, Using 3D Finite Element: Verification with Real Scale Tests

A 3D-finite element analysis within the numerical program ABAQUS is adopted in order to simulate the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete beam-column joints and beam-column joints strengthened with CFRP ropes. The suitability of the adopted approach is investigated herein. For this purpose, experimental and numerical cyclic tests were performed. The experiments include four reinforced concrete (RC) joints with the same ratio of shear closed-stirrup reinforcement and two different volumetric ratios of longitudinal steel reinforcing bars. Two joints were tested as-built, and the other two were strengthened with CFRP ropes. The ropes were applied as Near Surface Mounted (NSM) reinforcement, forming an X-shape around the joint body and further as flexural reinforcement at the top and bottom of the beam. The purpose of the externally mounted CFRP ropes is to allow the development of higher values of concrete principal stresses inside the joint core, compared with the specimens without ropes, and also to reduce the developing shear deformation in the joint. From the results, it is concluded that X-shaped ropes reduced the shear deformation in the joint body remarkably, especially in high drifts. Further, as a result of the comparisons between the yielded outcome from the attempted nonlinear analysis and the observed response from the tests, it is deduced that the adopted method sufficiently describes the whole behavior of the RC beam-column connections. In particular, comparisons between experimental and numerical results of principal stresses developing in the joint body of all examined specimens, along with similar comparisons of force displacement envelopes and shear deformations of the joint body, confirmed the adequacy of the applied finite element approach for the investigation of the use of CFRP-ropes as an efficient and easy-to-apply strengthening technique. The findings also reveal that the connections that have been strengthened with the FRP ropes demonstrated improved performance, and the crack system preserved its load capacity during the reversal loading tests.

Seismic behaviour of Exterior RC beam-column joints repaired and strengthened using post-tensioned metal straps

Exterior beam-column joints are the most vulnerable part of substandard reinforced concrete (RC) buildings and are often the first to be damaged during earthquakes. This article presents an experimental and numerical investigation into the behaviour of exterior RC beam-column joints repaired and strengthened using Post-Tensioned Metal Straps (PTMS) for active confinement. The study focused on full-scale beam-column joints with an inadequate core zone detailing, thus emulating the deficiencies found in existing substandard RC buildings. Initially, four “bare” joints were subjected to cyclic tests to induce substantial damage within the core zone. Subsequently, the damaged core of the joints was repaired and recast with new concrete, and PTMS were applied to strengthen the joints, followed by another round of cyclic testing. The experimental findings were compared with predictions generated through established models from existing literature. The results revealed that ASCE/SEI 41–17 guidelines accurately predict the shear capacity of the bare joints. It is shown that recasting the core with new concrete significantly increased the joint’s shear capacity by up to 42% compared their bare counterparts. The use of PTMS strengthening further enhanced the capacity by up to 25%. A “scissors model” was employed for numerical simulations of both bare and PTMS-strengthened joints using DRAIN-2DX, which proved effective at predicting their nonlinear load-displacement envelope response. This article contributes towards the development of new cost-effective post-earthquake strengthening techniques for beam-column joints, with the potential to reduce the vulnerability of substandard RC buildings in developing countries.

External Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joints: Experimental Investigation, Analytical Prediction, and Simple Design Suggestions

External Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joints: Experimental Investigation, Analytical Prediction, and Simple Design Suggestions

Accurate measurement of the bond stress between rebar and concrete in reinforced concrete using FBG sensing technology

Recent earthquakes in several developing countries have shown that reinforced concrete (RC) buildings with improper structural detailing experience severe damage under seismic motions. Using low-quality construction materials such as brick aggregates, resulting in low-strength concrete, significantly impacts the bond between rebar and concrete. Accurate evaluation of the bond performance of such low-strength concrete is one of the key issues for seismic safety assessment of RC buildings, especially in Bangladesh; thus, the bond performance is usually evaluated through laboratory tests. However, conventional measurements of bond stress based on rebar strains measured by electrical resistance strain gauges are likely to negatively impact the bond behavior/performance because of the reduced total contact area between rebar and concrete as well as the changing rebar surface boundary conditions. Under the above social and academic backgrounds, in this study, a new measurement technique that applies fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors embedded in optical fiber to rebar strain measurements is developed, and its effectiveness is investigated to realize more accurate measurements of the bond stress between rebar and concrete. Two 70% scaled RC beam-column joint specimens in which the beam rebar was anchored in a straight manner were constructed with identical detailing, except for the beam rebar strain measuring methods. The specimens were then subjected to cyclic lateral loading until failure. By comparing the experimental data acquired by the above two different devices (the FBG sensors and conventional strain gauges), it was found that the experimental bond strength on the beam rebar based on the strain data measured by the FBG sensors was much higher than that from the data measured using conventional strain gauges. Which negatively impacted the test data on the beam-column joint’s capacity in the specimen applied the conventional measuring method, indicating the necessity of the presented method not only for accurate evaluation of the bond stress between rebar and concrete but also for seismic safety assessments of RC buildings.

Seismic Behavior of Demountable Reinforced Concrete (RC) Beam-to-Column Joints with Damage-Control Fuses

In this paper, a new type of assembled RC beam–column joint with a beam-end steel cover-plate connection is proposed to achieve seismic toughness and damage control of the joint. Energy-dissipation plates with different structural forms are proposed, and a series of seismic performance indexes of the joints are calculated and analyzed by using the finite element method. The energy-dissipation plate with an arc notch can reach the yield condition faster, and the ultimate bearing capacity of the joint reaches the maximum. The bending design of energy-dissipation plates is carried out by calculating the demand bending moment, and energy-dissipation plates of different structural forms are simulated and verified. The results show that the proposed design formula can ensure that the bending moment at the beam end still maintains elastic deformation when the energy-dissipation plate yields. The important parameters affecting the bending moment of the weakened part in the middle of the energy-dissipation plate are analyzed. Finally, this paper also analyzes the important parameters affecting the seismic performance of the joints. The results show that the seismic performance of the newly assembled RC beam–column joints proposed in this paper is better than that of cast-in-place joints. Increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio appropriately can greatly improve the ultimate bearing capacity and ductility of the joints. Increasing the thickness of the energy-dissipation plate, increasing the strength of the energy-dissipation plate, increasing the axial compression ratio of the column, increasing the strength of the concrete, and increasing the strength of the shear web can improve the ultimate bearing capacity of the joints but also reduce their ductility. Under different axial compression ratios, the strain in the core area of the joints is low, and the compressive damage of the concrete is zero, which verifies the effectiveness of the damage-control design of the proposed model.

Failure mechanism and dynamic response of reinforced concrete joints under impact load acting on beam ends

Beam-column joints are crucial to guarantee the integrity and ductility of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. Considering the strain rate effect, the failure mechanism of RC beam-column joints under impact load acting on the beam near the core area of joints was numerically investigated. Based on the verified numerical model, the differences between failure modes of joints under static and dynamic loads were compared. The deformation and damage of joints were analyzed. In addition, the effects of impact location and impact velocity were discussed. The results show that the joints that meet the shear demand under static load have shear failure under impact load. The impact load causes greater deformation and damage to the joints. The transfer of the shear force and the development of the bending moment is different as the impact location changes, resulting in various dynamic responses. As the impact location approaches the core area, the joint evolves from bending failure to shear failure. The maximum shear force only appears at the impact location when the distance between the impact location and the core area is more than 3.5 times the width of the core area (b). However, the rotation of the joint causes the yield of the stirrup in the core area. It is worth noting that when the distance is less than or equal to 2b, the maximum shear force is transmitted to the core area. With the decrease of the distance, the time history curves of impact force have multiple peaks with increased peak values while the displacement and duration decrease. The damage range of the joint is expanded when impacted with higher velocities. Meanwhile, the magnitude and duration of impact force, as well as displacement are increased. With the decrease of distance or impact velocity, more energy is consumed by concrete rather than rebars due to the smaller rotational deformation of the joint.

Providing a strategy to restore damaged RC beam-column joints with the combination of CFRP and HPFRCC

This paper endeavors to assess the seismic performance of 3D reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joints situated on the exterior of buildings, but lacking special ductility requirements. The joints have been rehabilitated by High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Cement Composites (HPFRCC) and retrofitted using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) wrap methodology. In this context, five beam-column joints located on the exterior of a structure have been subjected to cyclic lateral loading, while being scaled down to half their original size. The present study entailed an investigation into the cyclic behavior of three control specimens in its initial stage. Following the initial examination, it was observed that the control specimens, lacking any designated ductility standards, experienced significant core damage. During the subsequent phase of experimentation, the impaired concrete sections of the control samples were remediated through substitution with HPFRCC matter. Additionally, CFRP sheets were implemented for retrofit purposes. The modified specimens were then exposed to comparable cycles of loading. An analysis is conducted on the empirical findings of the specimens under investigation. The findings of this study indicate that the utilization of HPFRCC materials and CFRP sheets in the restoration and enhancement of deteriorated joints has led to a notable enhancement of their strength and displacement capacity. Specifically, this approach has facilitated the creation of a flexural plastic hinge and impeded the occurrence of shear failure within the core, leading to an improved overall behavior of the repaired damaged joint, which is comparable to that of undamaged seismic joints. The application of this technique demonstrates a high degree of efficacy in the rehabilitation and enhancement of edifices with deficient seismic details that have sustained damage subsequent to an earthquake event.

Efficiency of Flange-Bonded CFRP Sheets in Relocation of Plastic Hinge in RC Beam–Column Joints

Beam–column connection zones are high regions of interest in reinforced concrete (RC) structures, which are expected to respond elastically to seismic loads. Using carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) to improve these connections, performance is critical in retrofitting deficient RC frames because existing slabs may pose numerous limitations in the design and wrapping of CFRP sheets in joints. The main aim of this research is to develop a new design for flange-bonded CFRP retrofit of frames, including slabs, for the relocation of plastic hinges of the connection area toward the beam and to develop beam–column joint capacity and building stability in cases of subjection to dynamic loads. The performance of these proposed retrofittings was explored both experimentally and numerically. Two full-scale fabricated interior RC joints of a real moment-resisting frame with moderate ductility were subjected to monotonic loads before and after retrofitting, and the results were used to detail the numerical progress and verify of the beam–column connection. Moreover, a parametric study was conducted on CFRP sheets’ optimal thickness to examine its influence on plastic hinge relocation in the connection region. Results show that the retrofitting method can efficiently relocate the plastic hinge to the mid-span of the beam, which, in turn, leads to improved capacity and achievement of the RC frame and guarantees better structural safety a lower cost.

Torsional Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Beam–Column Joint Retrofitted by Aramid Fiber—Experimental and Numerical Analysis

The performance of structural composites during loading has always been a concern for the designers and construction industry since the reinforced concrete structure was discovered. In this study, lateral load–displacement behavior of beam–column joints wrapped with aramid fiber is evaluated using both experimental and numerical analysis subjected to torsional moment (beam-eccentric loading). Three categories of reinforcement concepts are adopted for the preparation of the beam–column joints, where members are wrapped with aramid fiber at the joints, and others are not fortified with aramid fibers. Prior to testing, the structural composites are cured for maximum 28 days into water. The beam–column joints are subjected to lateral load at a point near the column end of the beam–column connection, and the corresponding deflections are measured until the member fails. Based on the test results, ductility and energy absorption capacity are evaluated. The findings of the numerical investigation of beam–column joint show there is not much variation in the experimental and numerical analysis; it is clearly found that aramid fiber wrapping provided large rigidity in the joint, and it is also prolonged the final failure of the joints. This study shows that in addition to the conventional reinforcement, providing the hanger reinforcement and the diagonal reinforcement improves the rigidity of the beam–column joints during severe loadings, as this study described.

Seismic performance evaluation and strengthening of RC beam-column joints adopted in Nepal

Beam-column joints are a crucial component of the reinforced concrete (RC) moment-resisting frame (MRF) as the behavior of the joints significantly influences the strength and ductility of the overall framing system. This study is performed to explore the seismic behavior of interior and exterior beam-column joints designed based on NBC 205:1994 (NBC1), NBC 205:2012 (NBC2), and the revised seismic design standard NBC 105:2020, defined as a well-designed joint (NBC3) which are the building standards used for designing low-rise RC buildings in Nepal and compares the results from the numerical simulations quantitatively. Three possible retrofit options (CFRP, steel and RC jacketing) were explored. Finally, retrofitting options were suggested for the joint of NBC1 and NBC2 with consideration of a well-designed joint (NBC3) as the currently required capacity of the joint based on the demand of revised seismic design standard NBC 105:2020.

Experimental cyclic response of heat-damaged RC beam-column joints strengthened with CFRP strings

Reinforced concrete (RC) buildings may be subjected to high temperatures during their service life, which causes significant deterioration in the mechanical and physical characteristics of several structural members (i.e., joints), making it necessary to upgrade their overall performance to withstand the additional stresses. Therefore, the effectiveness of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strings used as near-surface mounted (NSM) reinforcement in restoring the structural performance and minimizing the failure mechanism of heat-damaged RC beam-column (B-C) joints is examined in this study through experimental work. The experimental research consists of twelve RC beam-column joint sub-assemblages divided into three groups: four joints were kept at room temperature, four were heated to 400 °C, and four were heated to 600 °C. Three joints from each batch were tested under a quasi-static cyclic load after adding one, two, or three strings of CFRP reinforcement. The cyclic response of joints was evaluated by determining the ultimate load capacity in pulling and pushing and its corresponding lateral displacement, energy dissipation, displacement ductility, and stiffness degradation. The experimental results showed that the upgraded joints with CFRP strings experienced a significant increase in energy dissipation, initial stiffness, displacement ductility, and ultimate load capacity in pulling and pushing over reference joints.

Hybrid mechanical and data-driven probabilistic model for shear strength of RC beam-column joints

In order to overcome the limitations of traditional data-driven or mechanics-based methods, a novel hybrid mechanical and data-driven probabilistic model for the shear strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joints was proposed based on the modified Gaussian process (GP). A new mean function for the GP was developed first by considering the mechanical mechanisms of joint shear strength to improve the prediction accuracy and generalization ability. Then a hybrid mechanical and data-driven probabilistic model (HMDPM) for the joint shear strength was established based on the modified GP. Moreover, the hyper-parameters of the prior mean and covariance functions of the HMDPM were jointly optimized by maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). Finally, the HMDPM was compared with traditional GPs and mechanics-based methods by using 137 sets of test data. Comparisons show that the proposed model is less sensitive to training data sizes and has superior extrapolation ability for out-of-distribution predictions as compared to traditional GPs. In addition, the proposed model not only has satisfactory prediction performance, but can also reasonably describe the probabilistic characteristics of joint shear strength compared with traditional mechanics-based methods. Comparisons demonstrate that the proposed model has high prediction accuracy, robustness and generalizability, which provides an alternative approach to predicting joint shear strength.

Various Methods of Strengthening Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joint Subjected Earthquake-Type Loading Using Fibre-Reinforced Polymers: A Critical Review

Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are extensively employed in concrete technology due to their exceptional mechanical strength and durability. They serve a dual purpose, not only reinforcing damaged elements but also supporting heavier service loads and addressing long-term concerns in new infrastructure projects. Consequently, the objective of this review is to establish a comprehensive research database that focuses on evaluating the strengthening behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joints (BCJ) under earthquake loads through diverse types and application methods of FRP composites. The efficacy of these strengthening techniques is assessed by considering factors such as the loading capacity and dissipated energy of RC BCJ versus the joint confinement index provided by the fibre in the joint area. Through this state-of-the-art review, it becomes evident that FRP composites effectively enhanced the normalized load of specimens up to 27 kN/?MPa and enhanced the dissipated energy until 558.6 kN-mm for the case of specimens with a lower confinement index, less than 0.3. Additionally, the specimen strengthened with the deep embedment (DE) method resulted in a moderate normalized load and dissipated energy compared to those strengthened with the external bonded (EB) method. The test results indicated that the average normalized load and dissipated energy of the DE-strengthening method was 93% and 28.5% compared to that of the EB-strengthening method. These findings reveal that FRP composites offer distinct advantages in terms of load capacity and dissipated energy when used for strengthening earthquake-affected RC BCJ. Finally, based on the compilation of the previous works, this research proposes several techniques for utilizing FRP composites to enhance RC BCJ subjected to earthquake load.

Effect of Geometric Parameters on the Behavior of Eccentric RC Beam–Column Joints

Over the last century, the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beam–column joints has drawn many researchers’ attention due to their complex stress state. Such joints should possess sufficient capacity and ductility to ensure integrity and safety when subjected to cyclic loading during seismic events. In the literature, while most studies have focused on the behavior of concentric beam–column joints, few studies investigated the response of eccentric beam–column joints, in which the beam’s centerline is offset from the centerline of the column. Recent earthquakes demonstrated severe damage in eccentric beam–column joints due to their brittle torsional behavior, which may threaten the ductility required for the overall structural performance. To investigate the effect of brittle failure on the strength, ductility, and stability of eccentric beam–column joints, nonlinear finite element (FE) models were developed and validated. The FE model was employed to study the effect of some geometric parameters on the global and local behaviors of beam–column joints, including the joint type (exterior and interior), the column aspect ratio, and the joint aspect ratio. The results show that the joint aspect ratio, which is the ratio of beam-to-column depth, has a predominant effect on the failure behavior of the joint. Additionally, the increase in column aspect ratio alters the failure mode from brittle joint shear failure to ductile beam-hinge, although there is an increase in the joint torsional moment. The current study also showed that interior joints exhibited a higher out-of-plane moment as well as more extensive column torsion cracks compared to exterior joints.

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF EXISTING RC BEAM-COLUMN JOINTS STRENGTHENED BY PRESS-JOINT WITH ADDITIONAL RC MEMBERS

Only a few specialized research studies and examples of seismic strengthening methods for beam-column joints in existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings exist. In a previous study, we proposed a seismic strengthening method that press-joints additional RC members around existing steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) beam-column joints. This study used finite element analysis to investigate the reinforcement effect of the proposed seismic strengthening method on existing RC beam-column joints. Initially, finite element analysis was conducted to imitate the assembled test in which the RC beam-column joint was fractured. The model analysis results agreed well with the test results. For this existing RC beam-column joint model, three types of models with reinforcement methods as parameters were analyzed. The first type model press-joints additional RC members only in the in-plane direction. The second type model press-joints additional RC members in the in-plane and orthogonal directions. The third type model press-joints additional RC members in the in-plane direction, and the additional RC members and existing part are joined by post-installed anchors in the orthogonal direction. According to results, cracks at the existing RC beam-column joints were confirmed to be reduced in the strengthened models. The model that press-joints additional RC members in the in-plane and orthogonal directions most significantly reduced the minimum principal stress in existing RC beam-column joints the most.

The shear strength of existing non-seismic RC beam-column joints strengthened with CFRP Sheets: Numerical and analytical study

A key part of RC structure seismic performance is the effective distribution of earthquake forces across all resistance elements through reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column (B-C) joints. By virtue of their ease of implementation and convenient material properties, Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) are highly utilized for strengthening existing structures with inadequate reinforcement or insufficient confinement. Previous experimental research revealed that debonding failure widely occurs on CFRP shear-strengthened B-C joints. The experimental research as well showed the value of column axial load makes a great contribution to such joint’s failure mode. Using CFRP U-jacketing to strengthen non-seismically B-C joints, this article presents a non-linear, two-dimensional FE model for investigating shear behavior. The developed FE model considered the adhesive layer between CFRP sheets and concrete to capture the debonding and a bond-slip model was implemented between concrete-to-CFRP sheets using connector elements. The FE results were verified versus experimental works from literature to prove the proposed FE model's accuracy with appreciate to load-deformation relation and failure modes. Depending on the verified FE model, a parametric study on shear-strengthened RC B-C joints with CFRP U-jacketing with free and fixed ends was performed below monotonic loading. In the existing study, several parameters, including column-to-beam flexural strength ratio (over strength ratio), concrete strength, and value of column axial load, were investigated on the structure's strength and ductility. Using the developed strut-and-tie model (STM), new design equations were proposed to calculate strengthened RC B-C joint's shear strength using CFRP. The proposed equations incorporate the interfacial bond among concrete and CFRP effect, as well CFRP sheet end boundary (free or fixed). The developed design equation’s ability to estimate shear strengths of strengthened B-C joints with CFRP was verified through experimental works and FE results. It was evident from verification results that the produced design equations were compatible with experimental and FE model results.

Haunch retrofit of RC beam–column joints: Linear stress field analysis and Strut‐and‐Tie method application

AbstractThis paper addresses the stress field of reinforced concrete (RC) beam–column joints retrofitted with haunches. Design of such solution currently assumes internal forces evaluated by the so called β‐factor approach, which was originally conceived targeting the enhancement of steel moment‐resisting frames. Extension to RC is subsequent as it emerges from the literature survey. The analytical model is first critically rediscussed. Inconsistencies of the adopted structural scheme, with respect to the actual mechanical behavior, may lie on the compatibility conditions which are imposed between the haunch and concrete beam (or column). In this regard, two‐dimensional finite element models (FEM), using linear‐elastic materials, are employed to study the stress field of two benchmark specimens derived from literature. A partial validation is carried out against experimentally derived internal forces. Results show that, for haunches with extended flat plates and stiff diagonals, compressive diffusion affects the entire haunch region. Consequently, beam's kinematic hypothesis of linear strains is no longer valid. The predicted joint shear demand resulted underestimated by β‐factor approach by 50%. Since 2D FEM may be not efficient for many practical circumstances, an application of Strut‐and‐Tie is alternatively proposed. Finally, both the limitations and possible extensions of the proposed approaches are stated transparently.

State-of-art summary of the strength hierarchy assessment and its applications

Strength hierarchy assessment is a method developed to be able to identify the governing failure mechanisms at reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joints. The main failures that can be identified in this method are: i) beam plastic hinge; ii) column plastic hinge/shear failure; iii) beam-column joint shear failure. Through the identification of the governing failure mode in a joint, the validity of the capacity design principles can be checked for the considered RC beam-column joint. The obtained observations can then be used in finding the most optimal repair/strengthening application. This method has been going through updates and developments in the last decade and new applications have emerged. In this article, a state-of-the-art summary of the procedure is reported with its most recent updates as well as its practical engineering applications.

Improving cyclic response of heat-damaged non-ductile RC joints using CFRP hybrid systems

The behavior of non-ductile, heat-damaged reinforced concrete (RC) beam column joints was investigated in this experimental research work. A hybrid system formed of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets and strings was used to improve the cyclic response of these non-ductile, heat-damaged joints. To evaluate the cyclic performance of these joints, twelve RC beam-column joints were cast and classified into four categories: Three joints were kept without strengthening as control specimens. Three joints were strengthened with one layer of CFRP sheets and one NSM-CFRP string in the beam and in the column; three joints were strengthened with two layers of CFRP sheets and two NSM-CFRP strings in the beam and in the column; and three joints were strengthened with three layers of CFRP sheets and three NSM-CFRP strings in the beam and in the column. In addition, the joints were tested at three different temperatures, which are: ambient, 400 °C, and 600 °C. The experimental findings show a considerable improvement in the cyclic performance of non-ductile heat-damaged RC beam-column joints strengthened with a hybrid CFRP system (greater lateral displacement, higher load capacity, higher energy dissipation, higher displacement ductility, and slower secant stiffness degradation). Furthermore, the effectiveness of CFRP composites increases as the degree of heat damage increases.

Seismic Retrofitting of Nonseismically Detailed Exterior Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joint by Active Confinement Using Shape Memory Alloy Wires

It is widely accepted that the seismic retrofitting of nonseismically detailed reinforced concrete beam-column joints (BCJs) in reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings is an urgent necessity due to its high vulnerability and potential consequences in seismic events. As a result, considerable effort has already been put into developing efficient and practical retrofitting solutions for such BCJs. Most of the existing techniques, however, are based on either passive confinement techniques, for example, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrappings, or involve a considerable joint enlargement, which, in many cases, is undesirable. In this study a new technique of retrofitting BCJs is proposed by employing a more effective method of confinement (i.e., active confinement), utilizing the shape recovery feature of shape memory alloys (SMAs). To evaluate the performance of the proposed retrofitting scheme, experimental tests were conducted on full-scale BCJ specimens. The efficacy of the proposed retrofitting scheme is evaluated in terms of enhancement in strength, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, damage reduction in the specimens, and ease of application. The results from this study suggest that the proposed retrofitting scheme could be effectively used in achieving the full capacity of the joints corresponding to beam yielding and consequently enhances the energy dissipation capacity of the system significantly. The test results demonstrated that the proposed retrofitting scheme performs excellently in reducing the joint shear strain (core damage) (to almost zero or negligible) and also in retaining the full axial load carrying capacity of the column, even at very large drift values. The proposed retrofitted scheme could also be conveniently used in cases where the capacity ratio of column-to-beam needs to be improved.