Abstract:In order to facilitate the construction of industrial buildings, a new type of splice joint, named flange bolted welded hybrid joint, was designed to splice I shape beam to steel connections. The flange, welded with the bottom beam flange as well as the web close to bottom flange, was jointed by high strength bolt. Stiffening plate was welded at top of the flange. While downhand welding and high strength friction grip bolts were used for the top beam flange and the beam web, respectively. Monotonic and reversed cyclic loading tests were conducted on three specimens of this innovative joint to investigate its load bearing capacity, energy dissipating capacity and failure modes. The experimental data indicate that the joint has high load bearing capacity and great rotational ductility with the maximum plastic rotational angle up to 0.095 rad. The strength of specimen will be increased after rotational ductility for the reason that its high strength friction grip bolts transform to bearing type. The failure mode is due to the looseness of bolts connecting flange plate as well as the development of gap between the flange plate.