PSI - Issue 78

Alessandro Mei et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 120–127

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Moreover, the comparison of cyclic curves in Fig. 7A and B clearly shows how hysteresis loop are wider and the pinching is reduced in case of strengthening using 90° brackets (r03, r04, r06), as the latter significantly engage the connection. The cumulated energy dissipated by every specimen is reported in Fig. 8A. Considering the first ten cycles, the energy dissipated by the 90° brackets (r03 and r04) more than doubled compared to the unreinforced joint (nr01). When evaluating the total energy dissipated by the connection (Fig. 8B), r06 exhibits more than three times the dissipation capacity of the unreinforced joint.

Fig. 7. (A) Moment-rotation curves for specimens r01, r02, r05. (B) Moment-rotation curves for specimens r03, r04, r06.

Fig. 8. (A) Energy dissipation in the first ten cycles. (B) Normalized total energy dissipated

5. Concluding remarks This paper is part of the ongoing research project titled “SAVE -RackS ” . Based on the preliminary findings from a series of 12 monotonic and cyclic experimental tests, the main outcomes can be summarized as follows: • the proposed reinforcement systems prove effective in increasing both the stiffness and the ultimate capacity of existing rack joints, potentially increasing the down-aisle stability and limiting sway of steel racks,