Moment‐resisting beam‐to‐column joints in reusable building structures

Abstract Given the increasing emphasis on sustainable development, circular construction strategies, particularly structural reuse, are becoming more prominent within the industry. In contrast to conventional building design, the design‐for‐reuse paradigm prioritises the creation of structures engineered for efficient disassembly, transportation and reassembly at the conclusion of their life cycles. Another reuse approach involves integrating materials reclaimed from existing structures into new buildings. This paper advances reusable building practices by introducing an innovative beam‐to‐column joint designed for reusable moment‐resisting steel frames. The proposed joint is fully demountable, utilising bolted connections instead of welds to enhance the ease of reusing structural components. Additionally, the joint is designed to allow the reuse of reclaimed steel, featuring an adaptable connecting link that extends the service length of existing steel members and adjusts them to the designed span of a new structure. Experimental testing was conducted to evaluate the joint's performance, including failure modes, moment resistance, rotation capacity and stiffness. Furthermore, finite element models were created to simulate the mechanical behaviour of the tested joint and further investigate its structural performance.