The mechanical behaviour of steel is crucial in hybrid steel-timber systems, especially in areas prone to seismic activity. This paper presents a study of a novel semi-rigid connection that employs U-shaped steel plates as seismic fuses in a beam-to-column connection. The connection aims to introduce self-centring steel braced frames as lateral systems, combined with mass timber structures as a gravity load-resisting system, to enhance their structural performance against earthquakes. The fuses are designed to yield in axial compression or tension, with a bending combination that enables the connection to produce yielding at a specific moment level. The study focuses on the results obtained from cyclic fuse testing, connection testing, and comparing the connections to existing solutions to demonstrate their potential as a reliable and resilient option for mass timber buildings in seismic areas. The findings indicate that the developed connections provide reliable ductile behaviour, and timber elements can be protected from damage through the capacity protection provided by the fuses and their yielding mechanism.
