The　core　area　of　＂equal　beam　equal　strength＂　sandwich　beam-column　joints　has　the　advantage　of　easy　construction　and　quality　control,　compared　with　the　core　area　of　traditional　＂equal　column　equal　strength＂　joints;　however,　there　have　been　no　explicit　calculation　methods　but　only　simple　provisions　in　current　Chinese　design　codes　regarding　the　weak-strength　joint.　In　this　paper,　three　groups　of　sandwich　joint　specimens　with　different　concrete　strength　were　tested　under　bi-directional　reversed　cyclic　loads,　and　their　seismic　performance　was　investigated,　including　the　failure　mode,　ductility,　energy　dissipation,　deformation　and　carrying　capacity.　The　test　results　show　that　with　low-to-moderate　axial　compression　ratio,　the　seismic　performance　of　sandwich　joints　is　slightly　weaker　than　that　of　traditional　joints　with　insignificant　difference.　For　the　case　where　the　ratio　of　the　column　concrete　compressive　strength　to　the　beam　concrete　compressive　strength　is　less　than　1.5,　the　joint　concrete　can　be　of　the　same　strength　as　the　beam;　otherwise,　the　failure　mode　may　change　from　flexural　failure　of　the　beams　to　shear　failure　of　the　joint,　and　thus　some　strengthening　measures　are　needed.　Finally,　a　new　formula　is　presented　for　calculating　the　shear　capacity　of　the　sandwich　joints,　which　is　consistent　with　the　experimental　results.　©　2016,　Engineering　Mechanics　Press.　All　right　reserved.