To　study　the　seismic　performance　of　LY315　steel　moment　connection　with　bolted　cover　plates,　the　tests　of　three　full-scale　connection　specimens　subjected　to　cyclic　loads　were　conducted.　The　slip　resistance　coefficient　among　high-strength　bolts　and　LY315　steel　plates　was　experimentally　obtained.　The　failure　modes,　load-carrying　capacities,　hysteretic　responses,　deterioration　performance,　ductility,　and　energy　dissipation　capacities　of　the　connections　were　investigated.　The　impact　of　the　splicing　position　on　the　cyclic　behavior　of　the　connections　was　explored.　Besides,　the　corresponding　nonlinear　numerical　modeling　approach　was　proposed,　which　was　validated　against　the　test　results.　Finally,　the　influence　of　the　configuration　details　on　seismic　responses　and　damage　control　was　discussed.　The　analysis　results　showed　that　the　slip　resistance　coefficient　with　surface　treatment　of　wire　brush　to　remove　floating　rust　was　0.29　for　LY315　steel.　The　connections　with　bolted　cover　plates　exhibited　large　load-carrying　capacity,　satisfactory　energy　dissipation　capacity　and　ductility　(the　ultimate　rotations　of　three　specimens　exceeded　0.04　rad,　and　the　ductility　coefficients　were　more　than　5.0).　When　the　cover　plates　were　relatively　stocky,　as　the　decrease　of　the　splicing　position,　the　load-carrying　capacities　slightly　decreased,　while　the　deformed　capacity　and　the　cumulative　dissipated　energy　of　the　specimens　were　slightly　enhanced,　which　was　probably　caused　by　the　local　deformation　of　the　cover　plates　and　the　slippage　of　bolts.　The　change　of　the　splicing　position　had　a　minor　effect　on　the　stiffness　degradation.　The　strategy　of　thickening　the　shear　domain　significantly　enhanced　the　load-carrying　capacities　of　the　connections,　and　effectively　lowered　the　shear　deformation　of　these　regions　and　the　energy　proportion　of　the　column,　however,　the　primary　members　of　frame　still　dissipated　most　of　the　system　energy.　The　strategies　of　shortening　the　splicing　position　or　thinning　the　cover　plates　were　effective　options　to　mitigate　the　plasticity　in　the　primary　members　and　limit　the　damage　within　the　replaceable　cover　plates.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd