Cyclic Behavior of Joints Assembled Using Prefabricated Beams and Columns with High-Ductility Recycled Powder Concrete

The integration of recycled powder (RP) as a partial cement replacement in concrete, combined with fiber reinforcement, facilitates the development of high-ductility recycled powder concrete (HDRPC) with enhanced mechanical properties. This approach holds significant potential for effectively recycling construction waste and reducing carbon emissions. To improve the seismic performance of prefabricated joints in industrial prefabricated building production, experimental tests under low-cycle reversed cyclic loading were conducted on four HDRPC prefabricated joints, one HDRPC cast-in-place joint, and one normal prefabricated concrete joint. The study systematically analyzed damage patterns, deformation ductility, stiffness degradation, hysteresis energy dissipation, and other performance characteristics. The results demonstrate that HDRPC effectively mitigates crack width and shear deformation in the joint core area, achieving a 17.8% increase in joint-bearing capacity and a 33.3% improvement in displacement ductility. Moreover, HDRPC improves specimen damage characteristics, enhances joint shear capacity and flexibility, and reduces the demand for hoop reinforcement in the joint core area due to its exceptional shear ductility. Based on the softened tension–compression bar model, a crack-resistance-bearing capacity equation for HDRPC joints was derived, which aligns closely with shear test results when cracks develop in the joint core area.