Numerical investigations of earthquake resilient beam‐to‐column joints with replaceable BRFCPs using different restraint plates

A replaceable buckling‐restrained flange cover plate (BRFCP) was previously proposed to improve seismic performance of beam‐to‐column joints. Quasi‐static tests were conducted to investigate the seismic performance of beam‐to‐column joints using three different formats of restraint plates for BRFCP: no restraint plate, separated restraint plate, and integral restraint plate. The test results showed that both separated and integral restraint plates restrained the core plate buckling under compression and increased the beam‐to‐column joints load resistances. This paper first validates finite element models (FEMs) using test results. Then the validated FEMs are used to investigate influences from different BRFCP design parameters (such as core plate thickness, restraint plate thickness and length, restraining gap size, and restraint plate blot prestress force) to the beam‐to‐column joint load–drift hysteretic responses. Finally, the paper proposes a design range of each investigated design parameter and a BRFCP design procedure.