Experimental study on the seismic performance of non-compact H-section steel frames

In order to assess the seismic performance of steel frame systems with non-compact members, cyclic tests were conducted on three full-scale frames incorporating beams and columns of varying plate width-thickness ratios. The seismic performance of these specimens, including failure modes, hysteresis curves, load-bearing capacities, ductility, and energy dissipation capabilities was thoroughly examined. The test results indicated that the dominating failure mode observed in all the specimens was the local buckling deformation occurring at the beam end and column bottom zones, and the occurrence of the first concentrated local failure would lead to the ultimate load-bearing state of the frames. Moreover, the occurrence sequence and development degree of the buckling deformations had a significant effect on the seismic performance of the frames. These findings suggest that reasonable combinations of beam and column sections should be carefully considered to retain rational balance between load-bearing capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capabilities for non-compact frames.