Performance Comparison of Flexural‐ and Shear‐Yielding Seismic Stud Columns

ABSTRACT This study compares the performance of flexural‐yielding stud columns (FYSCs) and shear‐yielding stud columns (SYSCs). It introduces the mechanical behavior and energy‐dissipating mechanisms of these two types of seismic stud columns (SSCs). Analytical results indicate that FYSCs provide higher lateral stiffness and strength than SYSCs per unit of steel weight. For SSCs with 800 mm depth and 2.6 m height, the FYSC achieves an average lateral stiffness and strength per unit of steel weight that are respectively 1.4 and 2.2 times greater than those of the SYSC. However, the SYSC imposes only 70% of the demands on the boundary beams compared to the FYSC, allowing it to offer lateral stiffness that is 1.3–1.6 times higher than that of the FYSC for a given boundary beam. The stiffness efficiency of the subassembly frame with the SYSC is higher than that with the FYSC, demonstrating the SYSC's advantage in decoupling strength and stiffness. The seismic performances of a traditional FYSC, an FYSC with reinforced‐flange ends, an FYSC with reduced‐flange ends, and an SYSC are investigated using finite element model analysis. Numerical simulations show that the reduced‐flange FYSC exhibits the worst performance in terms of ultimate strength, lateral stiffness, ductility, and hysteresis behavior, owing to pronounced local buckling at an early loading stage. This undesirable phenomenon becomes more significant when an axial load is present in the three FYSCs. The SYSC demonstrates considerably better stability and energy‐dissipating ability, with larger stiffness, axial load‐carrying, and deformation capacities.