Studies on restoring force model of concrete filled steel tubular laced column to composite box-beam connections

Mega composite structure systems have been widely used in high rise buildings in China. Compared to other structures, this type of composite structure systems has a larger cross-section with less weight. Concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) laced column to box-beam connections are gaining popularity, in particular for the mega composite structure system in high rise buildings. To enable a better understanding of the destruction characteristics and aseismic performance of these connections, three different connection types of specimens including single-limb bracing, cross bracing and diaphragms for core area of connections were tested under low cyclic and reciprocating loading. Hysteresis curves and skeleton curves were obtained from cyclic loading tests under axial loading. Based on these tested curves, a new trilinear hysteretic restoring force model considering rigidity degradation is proposed for CFST laced column to box-beam connections in a mega composite structure system, including a trilinear skeleton model based on calculation, law of stiffness degradation and hysteresis rules. The trilinear hysteretic restoring force model is compared with the experimental results. The experimental data shows that the new hysteretic restoring force model tallies with the test curves well and can be referenced for elastic-plastic seismic analysis of CFST laced column to composite box-beam connection in a mega composite structure system.