Abstract:To investigate the influence of bearing plate position on load bearing properties and mechanism of connections in hybrid towers, tests of reducedscale specimens with front bearing plate or back bearing plate, which are related to two hybrid towers in cablestayed bridges, were conducted. In these studies, strains of both concrete and steel plate and the slip between two materials were measured, and the differences between the specimen with front bearing plate and that with back bearing plate were compared as well. The results show that the existence of a bearing plate, which will bear approximately 40% of the loadings, can lead to a reduction in the shear force taken by shear connectors. Because of the important role played by the bearing plate, the slip between steel and concrete in the joint connection will decrease. In addition, the distribution of shear connectors is highly related to the location of bearing plate. Generally speaking, the joint connection with bearing plate with front bearing plate or back bearing plate can be considered as an excellent construction type in hybrid towers due to their outstanding performance in the cooperation of the bearing plate and shear connectors.