Abstract
Tests were performed under cyclic loading conditions to research the histeretic characters and damping properties of welded beam to column connections in elastic and plastic regions. Typical load-deformation diagrams of connections are presented and their behaviors are discussed. Test results on twelve connections are summarized as follows. 1) Load-deformation curves converge in a steady state in the first few cycles of repeated loading when load amplitudes are maintained constant, and do not change appreciably with number of cycles after the first few cycles. 2) Baushinger effect is observed in the deformation curves but weakened by repitition of cyclic loads. 3) Increasing the load amplitudes, deformation slopes under loading and unloading decrease gradually in coparison with the initial slope. 4) Energy dissipation in a cycle increases approximately in proportion to X^2 or X^3. (X: deformation amplitude) 5) Equivalent viscous damping coefficient in the low damping regions is represented as a function of X^<1/2>. 6) Specific damping capacity ds values are ranged between 0.75 and 1.30.
