Cyclic Collector Force Tests on TFW, in Advancing Knowledge on the Performance of Seismic Collectors in Steel Building Structures

Cyclic Collector Force Tests on TFW were conducted to understand the behavior of Top Flange Weld (TFW) collector connection under cyclic collector force (tension and compression) loading. A test collector with top flange weld (TFW) connection, was designed, fabricated, and tested under cyclic collector force without composite slab and gravity loading. The TFW collector connection was subjected to incremental cyclic collector force loading. The loading was performed as a force-controlled loading until the connection yields and switched to deformation-controlled loading after yielding. The cyclic collector force was applied while keeping the reaction column at the fixed position resulting the no rotation on the column. The test provides new knowledge on TFW collector connection properties: strength, stiffness, and deformation capacity.