The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

Effects of connection hysteretic degradation on the seismic behavior of steel moment-resisting frames

Rodgers, Janise E.; Mahin, Stephen A.

PEER-2003/13, Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, 2003, 358 pages (400/P33/2003-13)

Fractures observed at welded beam-column connections in steel moment-resisting frames after recent earthquakes have led structural engineers to investigate the hysteretic behavior of such connections. The experimental portion of the present study consists of a series of 32 shaking table tests performed on a scale model test specimen. The data derived from these tests were used to develop a computer model of the structure for use in analytical studies that examined the effects of various degradation-related hysteretic parameters, earthquake excitations, and frame properties.

Available online: http://peer.berkeley.edu/publications/peer_reports/reports_2003/0313.pdf