Research Progress on Seismic Performance and Resilience of Prefabricated Steel Beam-Column Joints

Abstract

Prefabricated steel structures have become increasingly important in modern structural engineering because of their construction efficiency, resource utilisation, and compatibility with industrialised construction. Beam-column joints are critical to the load-transfer, deformation, and energy-dissipation behaviour of these systems, particularly under seismic actions. This review synthesises research progress on the seismic performance and resilience of prefabricated steel beam-column joints, with emphasis on end-plate, bolted, reinforced, energy-dissipating, replaceable, and self-centring connection systems. The reviewed studies show that joint performance can be improved through reinforcement detailing, plastic hinge relocation, replaceable energy-dissipating components, friction mechanisms, and self-centring strategies. These approaches can enhance load-bearing capacity, ductility, hysteretic behaviour, and energy dissipation while reducing damage to primary beam and column components. Replaceable connection components are especially relevant to post-earthquake repair because they concentrate damage in accessible regions and can facilitate recovery of structural functionality. The review also indicates a continuing transition from conventional seismic resistance towards damage-controlled and recoverable joint design. Nevertheless, current research remains concentrated largely on local joint behaviour, and further investigation is required to clarify joint-structure interaction, long-term service performance, multi-factor coupling effects, and practical engineering application. Overall, resilient connection design provides an important direction for improving the seismic performance and recoverability of prefabricated steel structural systems.