Experimental Study of a Novel Self-Centering Beam-Column Connection Equipped with Shape Memory Alloy Plates

Full-scale cyclic tests were conducted to examine the seismic performance of a novel beam-column connection equipped with superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) plates and SMA Belleville spring washers. The proposed connection employed a set of dog-bone SMA plates connecting the beam flanges to provide the self-centering capability and energy dissipation capacity of the connection. The SMA Belleville spring washers were used to minimize the axial deformation of the high strength bolts used in the connection and to provide additional energy dissipation and self-centering abilities. Tension coupon tests of the SMA plates with varied dimensions were conducted to examine the fundamental mechanical properties of the SMA plates. The cyclic behavior of the SMA Belleville spring washers was also examined experimentally. Test results showed that the connection exhibited flag-shaped hysteretic responses with negligible residual deformation in a wide drift spectrum, and the skeleton curve with multi-stage characteristics was observed. The applied load-drift responses of the connection indicated that the SMA plates have developed significant inelastic deformations, which were able to offer self-centering capacity and energy dissipation concurrently.