Experimental study on spatial prefabricated self-centering steel frame with beam-column connections containing bolted web friction devices

Abstract The structural system of prefabricated self-centering steel frame (PSCF) was proposed previously by the author. Experimental studies focusing on PSCF connections, plane frame, overall structures as well as the numerical simulations were conducted. Compared with the self-centering steel frame (SCF), the PSCF has avoided the on-site aerial tension of steel strands and simultaneously achieves similar seismic performance as well as self-centering capacity. While the self-centering function of both PSCF and SCF may be restrained by conventional floor systems. Based on this thesis, a spatial PSCF with a new type of floor system containing sliding secondary beams was proposed in this paper to enable the frame expansion, and pseudo-dynamic and quasi-static tests toward it were conducted. The test results indicated that the proposed new floor system was reliable and feasible in accommodating the frame expansion. Meanwhile, the spatial PSCF with the new floor system has a favorable self-centering capacity, reliable gap-opening mechanism, superior seismic performance and enough redundancy to withstand multiple aftershocks.