Design of a Novel Prefabricated Bolted I-Beam to Box-Column Connection Using Numerical Analysis Under Cyclic Load

The proposed prefabricated bolted beam-to-column connection (BBCC) has been introduced to remove the problems of continuous/box columns and to show such merits as high-quality factory fabrication, easy transportation/erection/resumption, investment return, prefabrication, and modularization; this paper aims at designing and numerically studying the cyclic behavior of the novel designed connections. To this end, first the technical requirements and the design formulas are presented; three sample connection are designed; a similar connection was modeled, and the numerical and experimental results were compared and validated. Then, three design models were made to study the behavior of the exterior connections under cyclic load. The bases adopted for the model behavior were the AISC seismic provision requirements. The results show that all the AISC specific moment frame requirements including the failure mode, rigidity, ductility, moment capacity, rotational capacity, and ultimate rotation were met and the accuracy of design formulas are achieved.