Numerical investigation of Cover Plate in RCS connections

Due to the growing popularity of Reinforced Concrete column with Steel beam (RCS) moment frame system in recent years, there are lots of publications about the performance of this structural system. In this paper, fifteen RCS joints with practical details are studied using a verified finite element method. Joint details of the models include Cover Plate, Additional Bearing Plate, Steel Doubler Plate, and joint stirrups. The results show that Cover Plate can be used instead of a combination of steel doubler plate and joint stirrups; it improves the joint performance by increasing the confinement of joint region and contributing to joint shear strength.