Experimental study on seismic performance of stainless steel full-scale frames: Global response

This paper presents an experimental study of the seismic performance of austenitic stainless steel full-scale frames using the pseudo-static test method. The bottom single-span, two-storey substructure of the designed prototype frame was chosen as the test frame. Two full-scale frames were tested, one with a bolt-welded joint and the other with an extended end-plate joint. This paper is the first of two accompanying papers to this experimental study and focuses on the specimen design, testing details and global response of the stainless steel frame under cyclic loading. The test results were utilized to analyse the global response of the frames, encompassing failure mode, bearing capacity, deformation capacity, energy dissipation capacity, the overstrength factor, ductility factor and seismic response modification factor. The experimental findings suggest that the stainless steel frames with two joint types demonstrate consistent ability to dissipate energy during cyclic loading. The structure also performs well in terms of deformation, with uniform inter-storey deformation and no soft-storey detected. The maximum storey drift ratio of the frame is 7%. Prior to reaching a storey drift ratio of 2%, the frames with both joint types exhibit similar cumulative plastic deformation, stiffness degradation, and cumulative energy dissipation.