EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON THE HYSTERETIC BEHAVIOR OF BOLTED T-STUB CONNECTION WITH INSERTED PLATES

In order to enhance the energy-dissipation capacity of traditional bolted T-stub connections, two rectangular plates are proposed to be inserted between T-stubs so as to make the T-stub flanges yield in both tension and compression loads. Five specimens with or without inserted plates were designed and set up, then they were experimentally tested under cyclic loading conditions. Test results show that: the proposal to enhance the energy-dissipation is feasible; the hysteretic performance of the specimens with inserted plates is stable and their load-deformation loops are plump; the specimens with inserted plates can dissipate energy in both tension and compression loads, thusly the energy dissipated by them is about 150% of that by the specimen without inserted plates; the bearing capacity and stiffness under compression load are larger than that under tension one because of different mechanism; along with the increase of the plate width, the bearing capacity is improved in both tension and compression.