Evaluation of the rotational stiffness of precast reinforced concrete beam-column connections

Usually, beam-column connections with steel dowels are treated as hinged connections. This approach overlooks the rotational restraining effect of the dowels. To study the behaviour of these types of connections, an experimental campaign was carried out. Three full-scale beam-column connections were tested, subjected to monotonic and cyclic displacements. The specimens were also simulated numerically to study the influence of the bond quality between the steel dowel and the grout on the stiffness of the connection. The numerical models were calibrated using the experimental results. The results showed that the restraining effect is not negligible and affects the effective length of columns, leading to smaller second-order effects.