In this paper,nonlinear analysis of welded beam-column connection with different weld access holes under cyclic loading were performed,with the objective of gaining a better understanding of the effect of different weld access holes on inelastic behavior of connections.The different FEMs employed in this research were derived by changing the shape and size of weld access holes.The ductility of connection subassemblies with different weld access holes was measured in terms of several mechanical parameters sampled at the root of weld access hole.Results indicate that connections with the weld access holes recommended by "Code for seismic design of buildings" in China produce relatively the maximum accumulated plastic strain while the weld access holes recommended by FEMA have the highest stress triaxiality ratio.The conclusion drawn from this paper is verified by experimental data available in the literature.