The　bolted-flange　connection　is　a　new　application　for　mounting　rectangular　hollow　section　(RHS)　columns　in　prefabricated　multi-high-rise　steel　structures,　which　may　bear　the　combination　of　bending　moment　and　shear　under　permanent,　live,　wind　loads　or　earthquake.　The　performance　of　the　bolted-flange　connection　used　in　the　structural　column　is　different　from　that　in　its　popular　usage　in　the　pipe　because　the　subjected　force　is　different.　To　investigate　the　bearing　performance　of　a　bolted-flange　connection　under　the　combination　of　bending　moment　and　shear,　this　study　conducted　static　tests　and　finite　element　analysis　(FEA)　of　12　column-to-column　bolted-flange　connections　with　different　flange　thicknesses,　bolt　edge　distances,　flange　edge　widths　and　bolt　hole　diameters,　as　well　as　one　column　without　a　connection.　The　test　agreed　well　with　the　FEA,　which　verifies　the　FEA.　The　influences　of　the　flange　thickness,　bolt　edge　distance,　flange　edge　width　and　bolt　hole　diameter　on　the　stiffness　and　strength　of　the　connections,　bolt　tension　and　contact　force　were　studied,　and　the　failure　mode　and　mechanism　of　the　connection　were　obtained.　A　significant　prying　action　occurred　on　the　flange　contact　surface,　increased　the　bolt　tension　in　the　tensile　region,　and　caused　the　bolt　shanks　to　experience　tension　and　bending　moment.　The　flange　thickness　had　a　large　impact　on　the　prying　force,　while　other　factors　had　less　of　an　effect.　Based　on　the　yield　line　theory,　the　bearing　mechanism　of　the　connection　was　obtained.　The　formulas　for　the　yield　bearing　capacity　were　proposed　and　were　verified　by　the　test　and　FEA.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.