Ductility and energy dissipation behavior of G20Mn5QT cast steel shear link beams under cyclic loading

Abstract This paper presents the results of experimental and numerical simulation study of replaceable cast steel link beams under cyclic loading, including the ductility, strength, stiffness and energy dissipation of seven shear link specimens with and without circular perforations. Monotonic test of a G20Mn5QT cast steel link specimen was first carried out. Cyclic load testing of four G20Mn5QT cast steel link specimens are performed to investigate their failure mode, deformation and ultimate load carrying capacity, ductility, stiffness, and energy dissipation performance. Among these, two link specimens from the same cast steel batch were machined to form two different web perforation patterns in their web. Cast steel links without web openings show good ductility while perforating the link web offer a tool to reduce the link strength at the cost of ductility. The finite element analysis results of the G20Mn5QT cast steel shear links with and without web perforations are also presented and it is found that finite element simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results.