Abstract
This paper presents a new hybrid connection for installing an steel frame inside an existing RC frame. Three one-bay one-story non-ductile RC frames were retrofitted by steel braced frames with the help of hybrid connection technique. The scale factor of test specimens was 1/4-1/3, to model a low-rise school building designed according to the pre-1971 Building Standard Law of Japan. The specimens were tested under constant axial forces and cyclic horizontal loading. The experimentally observed behaviors exhibited that the propose hybrid connection can successfully transfer a relatively high shear force between the surrounding RC frame and the installed steel braced frame. Moreover, in case of non-ductile RC frames, the hybrid connection perfectly prevents the possible brittle shear failure of boundary RC columns. The hybrid connection method, in addition to obtaining superior structural performance, provides ease in construction at a building site, and minimizes the vibration, noise, and concrete dust of the retrofitting process.
