Mechanical Behavior of a Novel Precast Concrete Beam-Column Joint Using the Mortise-Tenon Connection

The construction industry has been a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. Fortunately, it is well known that precast concrete structures possess the benefit of reducing carbon emission, of which the beam-column joint plays a crucial role in resisting severe loads. Nowadays, the cast-in-place joint is mostly adopted for beam-column joint The authors declare no conflict of interests of precast concrete structures, and the building industrialization degree is insufficient. In light of this, a novel precast concrete beam-column joint using the mortise-tenon (MT) connection is proposed inspired by traditional timber structures, and the contrastive analysis of mechanical behaviors of this joint and the same-sized cast-in-place joint is conducted by the finite element method. The results indicate that the proposed MT joint has a better mechanical behavior by comparing with the corresponding cast-in-place joint as the beam-column joint. Meanwhile, the MT connection mode has the characteristics of standardized construction, in line with the concept of sustainable development, which can greatly save the construction period. This research demonstrates the feasibility of MT joints in traditional timber structures as beam-column joints in precast concrete structures, and the application of MT joints may be promoted if the size and shape of that are further optimized. Furthermore, this in turn helps research and innovation of precast building construction technology and promotes the sustainable development of the construction industry in the direction of energy conservation and environmental protection.