Wood　structures　have　been　vigorously　popularized　and　developed　because　they　have　low　carbon　emissions　and　acceptable　earthquake　resistance.　To　solve　the　general　pull-out　failure　of　mortise–tenon　joints　(MTJs)　under　earthquake　loads,　reinforcement　techniques,　such　as　steel　strip　plate　(SSP),　hollow　rectangular　steel　plate　(HRSP),　U-shape　steel　plate　(USP),　and　T-shape　steel　plate　(TSP)　methods,　have　been　proposed.　Low　cyclic　loading　tests　were　conducted　on　five　joints　to　investigate　the　effect　of　reinforcement　methods　on　the　seismic　behavior　of　MTJs.　Furthermore,　the　peak　bearing　capacity　of　reinforced　MTJs　was　theoretically　analyzed　based　on　European,　American,　and　Chinese　specifications;　the　calculations　were　compared　with　the　test　results.　To　verify　the　accuracy　of　the　theoretical　analysis,　ABAQUS　software,　a　finite　element　simulation　application,　was　used.　The　test　results　show　that　the　failure　modes　of　joints　with　or　without　reinforcements　are　tenon　pull-out,　self-tapping　screw　pull-out,　and　shear　failure.　Moreover,　the　USP-reinforced　MTJ　exhibited　the　best　seismic　performance,　followed　by　the　MTJs　reinforced　with　TSP,　HRSP,　and　SSP.　The　theoretical　calculation　and　test　results　are　in　good　agreement.　The　simulation　results　indicate　that　the　proposed　calculation　methods　can　accurately　predict　the　peak　bearing　capacity　of　steel-reinforced　MTJs.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd