This paper uses the strut-truss model to analyze the shear strength of reinforced concrete frame exterior joints through thirty-five shear failure type joints without beam flexural yield and six shear failure joints after beam flexural yield.It discusses the influence of parameters including concrete compressive strength,column axial-compression ratio,amount of joint horizontal or vertical hoop,and angle of strut mechanism etc.,on concrete strength effective factor ρ of diagonal strut mechanism.The analysis results show that ρ value deterioration ratio at peak load increases with the increase od concrete strength.The effect of joint hoop on ρ value deterioration is more significant using ordinary strength concrete than the case using high strength concrete.The contribution of strut mechanism to joint shear force is more than 80% when joint shear reinforcement ration is less than 0.3%.The joint strength equation is proposed based on the analysis results of the factor ρ,and the calculated values agree well with the experimental results.