Investigating seismic performance of a novel self-centering shear link in EBF utilizing experimental and numerical simulation

This paper introduces an innovative self-centering shear link (SC-SL) that combines the self-centering SMA braces (SCB) and very short shear link with shear slotted bolted connection (VSSL-SSBC), commonly used in the eccentrically braced frames (EBFs). Four SC-SL specimens differing in bolt pretension and loading displacement were designed to investigate the seismic performance, enabling the acquisition of hysteresis curves, skeletal curves, secant stiffness curves and energy dissipation capacity of the SC-SL. Additionally, extensive parametric studies, validated by finite element (FE) modeling technique, were conducted to investigate the main influencing parameters of the SC-SL. Test results indicated that the VSSL in the VSSL-SSBC remained in the slip stage without any relative deformation and yielding during the slip stage, whereas slip deformation, web yield, and web and flange buckling occurred during the non-slip stage. The deformation and stress of the SMA wires in the SCB increased gradually and remained in tension throughout the loading process. Hysteresis curves of the SC-SL exhibited elastic and elastic-plastic during the slip stage, and elastic, elastic-plastic, and strengthening stages during the non-slip stage. In addition, enlarging the SMA areas can enhance the bearing capacity and reduce the residual deformation of SC-SL during both slip and non-slip stage. Finally, the simplified mechanical models of SC-SL were proposed and validated, indicated that the proposed equation was in good agreement with the FE simulation results, with a maximum error of 8.99 % and 4.86 % during the slip and non-slip stage, respectively.