Static and Seismic Experiments on the Beam-Column Joints of a Underground Cylindrical Garage Prefabricated Integrated Structure

An innovative prefabricated integrated structure for a cylindrical underground garage is designed as the bracing system during the excavation phase. A new beam-column joint for this structure is proposed. Laboratory tests are implemented to obtain the capacity, hysteresis, skeleton curve and stiffness attenuation performance of the joint. The process of these tests is introduced in detail. Four full-scale specimens are analyzed in laboratory tests to study the influence of lateral loads, connection beam cross sections and column base thicknesses on the static and seismic performance of the joint. The test results show the following conclusions: (1) The lateral load only has a great influence on the stress in the connecting beam. (2) Reducing the cross section of the connection beam and thickness of the base column influence the static and seismic performance of the joints. (3) The thickness of the column base has the greatest influence on the vertical ultimate bearing capacity, skeleton curve, and stiffness attenuation of the joint, followed by the cross section of the connecting beam, and finally the lateral load.