On the Robustness of Earthquake-Resistant Moment-Resistant Frames: Influence of Innovative Beam-to-Column Joints

The deformation capacity of beam-to-column connections strongly influences the robustness of earthquake-resistant Moment Resistant Frames (MRFs) when subjected to a loss-of column scenario. As a consequence, with the aim of foresee the structural response up to the failure, an accurate modelling of the ultimate behaviour of the joints is needed.

In this paper, the influence of the connections on the behaviour of MRFs under a loss-of-column scenario has been analysed considering an accurate modelling of the joints.

In addition, in order to achieve this goal, different beam-to-column joints designed for seismic actions and tested at the Salerno University, have been modelled and introduced in a case-study structure, whose response has been evaluated by means of push-down analyses. In particular, the connections analysed and modelled are of three different types: a dog-bone connection, a partial strength Double Split Tee (DST) joint and a partial strength connection with friction dampers.

The results of pushdown analyses performed by means of SAP2000 computer software have been examined with the aim to determine the Residual Reserve Strength Ratio (RRSR) index that, combined with the energy balance method proposed by Izzudin et al. (2008), allow to assess the structural ro-bustness.