Numerical Study on Seismic Behavior of Demountable Joints Consisting of Reinforced Concrete Columns and Steel Beams

In this study, three new types of demountable connections, consisting of reinforced concrete columns and steel beams, are proposed, and their seismic performance is investigated through the use of cyclic loading tests. The test results reveal that these three demountable RCS joints show good seismic performance, in which the ductility coefficients of specimens RCS-1 and RCS-2 are improved by 69% and 109%, respectively, compared with the reference group of RCS-0 specimens. Various parameters, such as the beam flange thickness, bolt strength, and connecting steel strength, were analyzed using the finite element software ABAQUS 2021 to determine the effect of these parameters on the seismic performance and behavior of the connections. The results also show that the three demountable RCS joints are very sensitive to the variation in beam flange steel thickness, while the connector steel strength and bolt type have very little effect on the joint load-carrying capacity. In addition, different current theoretical approaches for calculating the shear bearing capacity in the panel zone of joints are discussed.