• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.407-418
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• 2014

As a continuing work of previously conducted standard tension tests, full-scale flexural tests were conducted in this study to assess the structural performance the CJP groove welded joints connecting thick HSA800 plates. Two welding electrodes were available at the time of this experimental research; one was GMAW-based electrode A and the other FCAW-based electrode B. Three full-scale box-type beam specimens with single bevel- and V-groove CJP welded joints were fabricated from 60mm and 25mm thick HSA800 plates according to the AWS-prequalified groove welded joint details. In designing the specimens, all possible limit states like local and lateral torsional buckling were carefully controlled in order to induce flexural plastic yielding or eventual joint fracture. All the CJP joints made by both welding electrodes showed satisfactory performance and were able to transfer the tensile flange forces higher than that corresponding to the measured tensile strength of HSA800 flange plates. However, it should be noted that, during fabrication, serious concerns about the welding efficiency and workability of the GMAW-based electrode were raised by a certified welder. The fracture occurred at the unbeveled (or vertical) interface between the weldment and the base metal when the GMAW-based electrode was used in the single-bevel joint, implying the possibility of insufficient melting. Thus, the FCAW-based electrode B is again recommended as the choice of welding electrode for HSA800 plates. The limited test data of this study implies that the V-groove CJP joint should be used in favor of the single bevel CJP joint, if possible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.513-523
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• 2015

In steel moment frames constructed of H-shapes, strong-axis moment connections should be used for maximum structural efficiency if possible. And most of cyclic seismic testing, domestic and international, has been conducted for strong-axis moment connections and cyclic test data for weak-axis connections is quite limited. However, when perpendicular moment frames meet, weak-axis moment connections are also needed at the intersecting locations. Especially, both strong- and weak-axis moment connections have been frequently used in domestic practice. In this study, cyclic seismic performance of RBS (reduced beam section) weak-axis welded moment connections was experimentally investigated. Test specimens, designed according to the procedure proposed by Gilton and Uang (2002), performed well and developed an excellent plastic rotation capacity of 0.03 rad or higher, although a simplified sizing procedure for attaching the beam web to the shear plate in the form of C-shaped fillet weld was used. The test results of this study showed that the sharp corner of C-shaped fillet weld tends to be the origin of crack propagation due to stress concentration there and needs to be trimmed for the better weld shape. Different from strong-axis moment connections, due to the presence of weld access hole, a kind of CJP butt joint is formed between the beam flange and the horizontal continuity plate in weak-axis moment connections. When weld access hole is large, this butt joint can experience cyclic local buckling and subsequent low cycle fatigue fracture as observed in this testing program. Thus the size of web access hole at the butt joint should be minimized if possible. The recommended seismic detailing such as stickout, trimming, and thicker continuity plate for construction tolerance should be followed for design and fabrication of weak-axis welded moment connections.