Hysteretic behavior of bolted-angle connections

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the hysteretic behavior of bolted-angle beam-to-column connections. The investigation focused on: (1) the inelastic behavior under large cyclic deformation, (2) the failure modes under cyclic loading, and (3) the energy-dissipation capacity of the bolted-angle connections. Two deformation patterns, distinguished by the relative strength of angles and bolts, had a significant influence on the hysteretic behavior of the connections. Based on the experimental results, hysteresis rules were established to lay a foundation for the development of a behavioral hysteresis model of bolted-angle connections.