Seismic performance of box-plate, box-plate with UNP, box-plate with L-plate and ordinary rigid beam-to-column moment connections

Nowadays, using high-ductility structures in construction and significant buildings is highly appreciated. To use better ductile structures, effort has been made in this research to introduce box-plate, box-plate with UNP, box-plate with L-plate and ordinary beam-to-column connections. Eleven models with different shapes and thickness were analyzed and compared in this research, and they underwent hysteretic loading. Parameters such as restraint percentage, stiffness, strength, plastic hinge location, and ductility under cyclic loads were calculated for each model. It was found, from their moment-rotation curves that the bending capacity and ductility of the box-plate with UNP connection was greater than any other rigid connections, and those of the latter were greater than those of the normal, typical ones. It was also shown that stress concentration in box-plate with UNP connections disappear over the top and bottom flange plates.