Although　the　reduced　beam　section　(RBS)　connection　is　an　excellent　seismic　design　for　transferring　plastic　hinge,　it　is　prone　to　fracture　under　the　condition　of　large　deformation.　In　addition　to　good　seismic　response,　the　performance　of　RBS　connections　needs　to　be　improved　to　ensure　good　anti-progressive　collapse　response.　In　this　study,　a　novel　principle　is　proposed,　in　which　the　RBS　connection　is　used　to　meet　the　plastic　hinge　transmission,　and　kinked　reinforced　bars　are　installed　in　the　beam–column　connection　to　realize　a　second　path.　Experimental　and　numerical　investigations　were　conducted　on　a　frame　substructure　with　kinked　reinforced　bars,　considering　their　diameter　d,　kinked　height　a　and　length　l　of　the　reinforced　bars.　The　deformation　capacity,　vertical　force　vs.　deformation　response,　failure　mode,　and　contributions　of　the　flexural　and　catenary　actions　on　the　reinforced　bars　were　evaluated.　The　test　results　demonstrate　that　the　kinked　reinforced　bars　started　to　work　when　the　reduced-beam-section　connection　with　reinforced　bars　(RRBS)　is　in　a　plastic　state.　When　the　reinforced　bars　with　a　＞　1.5d　were　installed　at　the　beam　end,　the　bearing　capacity　of　the　RRBS　specimens　increased　with　an　increase　in　the　diameter　d　and　decreased　with　an　increase　in　the　length　l　of　the　reinforced　bars.　In　addition,　When　the　cracking　first　occurred　at　the　reduced　section,　the　bearing　capacity　decreased　with　an　increase　in　the　kinked　height　a.　It　is　suggested　to　select　the　kinked　height　of　the　reinforced　bar　according　to　the　deformation　capacity　of　the　beam.　©　2022