Published: Građevinar 77 (2025) 10
Paper type: Original scientific paper
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Seismic performance of partially encased composite joints
Abstract
To evaluate the seismic performance of partially encased composite (PEC) joints with different connection configurations, quasi-static loading tests were performed on two PEC joint specimens. The experimental investigation focused on the failure mechanisms, hysteresis characteristics, ductility, energy dissipation capacity, and stiffness degradation under low-cycle repeated loading. The results revealed that strong-axis PEC joints exhibited superior ductility and energy-dissipation capacity, whereas weak-axis joints experienced weld failure and demonstrated limited energy dissipation. A finite element model was developed for strong-axis PEC joints and validated using experimental data. Moreover, the restoring force model for strong-axis PEC joints accurately captured the hysteretic behavior, providing valuable insights for structural design applications.
KeywordsPEC beam-column joints, seismic performance, energy dissipation, finite element analysis, restoring model
