EFECT OF RIGIDITY OF BEAM TO COLUMN CONNECTION ON STRENGTH AND STIFNESS OF INFILLED FRAMES

This paper deals with an experimental program to investigate the effect of beam to column connection rigidity on the stiffness and strength of steel infilled frames. Two half scaled 1-story, 1-bay specimens were tested under in-plane lateral cyclic loading applied at the top of the frame. One of the specimens is fabricated with rigid beam to column connections and the other with pinned connections.The experimental results indicate that the less the connection of beam to column has rigidity, the less stiffness and strength of infilled frame are obtained.Also the stiffness and ultimate strength obtained from experimental tests were compared with the values calculated by Mainstone formula. The results show thatMainstone method significantly overestimates the stiffness for the specimen with pinned beam to column connection in comparison with the specimen having rigid connection.