• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1639-1653
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• 2018

Bolted connections are suitable due to high quality prefabrication in the factory and erection in the workplace. Prefabrication and modularization cause high speed of erection and fabrication, high quality and quick return of investment. Their technical hitches transportation can be removed by prefabrication of joints and small fabrication of components. Box-columns are suitable members for bolted structures such as welded steel structures with moment frames in two directions etc., but their continual fabrication in multi-story buildings and performing the internal continuity plate in them will cause some practical dilemmas. The details of the proposal technique introduced here, is to remove such problems from the box columns. Besides, some other advantages include new prefabricated bolted beam-to-column connections referred to BBCC. This connection is a set of plates joined to columns, beams, support, and bolts. For a better understanding of its fabrication and erection techniques, two connection and one structural maquettes are made. The present work aims to study the cyclic behavior of connection numerically. To verify the accuracy of model, a similar tested connection was modelled. Its verification was then made through comparison with test results. The behavior of connection was evaluated for an exterior connection using three different support shapes. The effects of support shapes on rigidity, ductility, rotation capacity, maximum strength, four rad rotation strength were compared to those of the AISC seismic provision requirements. It was found that single beams support has all the AISC seismic provision requirements for special moment frames with and without a continuity plate, and box with continuity plate is the best support in the BBCC connection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.793-808
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• 2018

In this study, the seismic performance of the connections between L-shaped columns composed of concrete-filled steel tubes (L-CFST columns) and H-beams used in high-rise steel frame structures was investigated. Seven full-scale specimens were tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. The variables studied in the tests included the joint type, the axial compression ratio, the presence of concrete, the width-to-thickness ratio and the internal extension length of the side plates. The hysteretic response, strength degradation, stiffness degradation, ductility, plastic rotation capacity, energy dissipation capacity and the strain distribution were evaluated at different load cycles. The test results indicated that both the corner and exterior joint specimens failed due to local buckling and crack within the beam flange adjacent to the end of the side plates. However, the failure modes of the interior joint specimens primarily included local buckling and crack at the end plates and curved corners of the beam flange. A design method was proposed for the flexural capacity of the end plate connection in the interior joint. Good agreement was observed between the theoretical and test results of both the yield and ultimate flexural capacity of the end plate connection.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.21-28
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• 2012

Welded Unreinforced Flange-Welded Web (WUF-W) connection is one of Special Moment Frame (SMF) specified in ANSI/AISC-358. From the experimental test of WUF-W connection specimens conducted by the previous study, fracture occurred in the beam flange before achieving total inter-story drift angle of 0.04radian required for Special Moment Frames (SMF) system even though the specimens satisfied the design and detailing requirement specified in ANSI/AISC-358. These results are estimated as problem of the access hole geometry. In this study, a full-scale WUF-W connection specimen was made with a modified access hole geometry, and tested with the same test setting and loading as the previous test. From test results, the deformation capacity of the tested WUF-W connection specimen exceeded 4%, which is required for connections in SMF system. Comparing with the WUF-W specimens of the previous study, the strain demand of the beam flange in the tested specimen was decreased and energy dissipation capacity of the specimen was improved.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.191-204
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• 2014

In this paper a systematic numerical analysis is performed to obtain the bending moment resisting capacity of a top and seat angle connection, which is a type of partially restrained connection, for a CFT composite frame subjected to cyclic loading. This partially restrained composite CFT connections are fabricated using high strength steel connection bar. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models are constructed to investigate the rotational stiffness, bending moment capacity, and failure modes. A wide scope of additional structural behaviors explain the different influences of the top and seat angle connection's parameters, such as the different thickness of connection angles and the gage distances of the high strength steel bar. The moment-rotation angle relationships obtained from the finite element analysis are compared with those from Richard's theoretical equation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.12 no.1 s.44
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• pp.65-73
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• 2000

The behavior of double angle connections is analyzed by 3D finite element method using ABAQUS(ver 5.8). Moment-rotation curves for the connections are generated, as well as stress distribution for angle and bolt. Double angle connections have various angle thickness, gage distance and number of bolt. Parameters, such as initial stiffness, plastic tiffness, reference load and curve shape parameter were obtained by regression method using Richard's formula. These parameter lead to predict nonlinear behavior of double angle connection. Design curves giving the parameters of the moment-rotation curves are generated. These parameters are primarily a function of the angle thickness, gage distance and the number of bolts in the connection. Using these parameters, connection moment and its ratio to the full plastic moment capacity Mp of the beam are calculated.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2017

This paper focuses on the seismic performance of pallet-type steel storage rack structures in their down aisle direction. As evidenced by experimental research, the seismic response of storage racks in the down-aisle direction is strongly affected by the nonlinear moment-rotation response of the beam-to-column connections. In their down-aisle direction, rack structures are designed to resist lateral seismic loads with typical moment frames utilizing proprietary beam-to-column moment-resisting connections. These connections are mostly boltless hooked type connections and they exhibit significantly large rotations resulting in large lateral frame displacements when subjected to strong ground motions. In this paper, typical hooked boltless beam-to-column connections are studied experimentally to obtain their non-linear reversed cyclic moment-rotation response. Additionally, a compound type connection involving the standard hooks and additional bolts were also tested under similar conditions. The simple introduction of the additional bolts within the hooked connection is considered to be a practical way of structural upgrade in the connection. The experimentally evaluated characteristics of the connections are compared in terms of some important performance indicators such as maximum moment and rotation capacity, change in stiffness and accumulated energy levels within the cyclic loading protocol. Finally, the obtained characteristics were used to carry out seismic performance assessment of rack frames incorporating the tested beam-to-column connections. The assessment involves a displacement based approach that utilizes a simple analytical model that captures the seismic behavior of racks in their down-aisle direction. The results of the study indicate that the proposed method of upgrading appears to be a very practical and effective way of increasing the seismic performance of hooked connections and hence the rack frames in their down-aisle direction.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.185-197
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• 2019

Considering the increasing use of tubular profiles in civil construction, this paper highlights the study on the behavior of welded connections between square hollow section column and I-beam, with emphasis on the assessment of the joint stiffness. Firstly, a theoretical analysis of the welded joints has been done focusing on prescriptions of the technical literature for the types of geometries mentioned. Then, a numerical analysis of the proposed joints were performed by the finite element method (FEM) with the software ANSYS 16.0. In this study, two models were evaluated for different parameters, such as the thickness of the cross section of the column and the sizes of cross section of the beams. The first model describes a connection in which one beam is connected to the column in a unique bending plane, while the second model describes a connection of two beams to the column in two bending planes. From the numerical results, the bending moment-rotation ($M-{\varphi}$) curve was plotted in order to determine the resistant bending moment and classify each connection according to its rotational capacity. Furthermore, an equation was established with the aim of estimating the rotational stiffness of welded I beam-to-RHS column connections, which can be used during the structure design. The results show that most of the connections are semi-rigid, highlighting the importance of considering the stiffness of the connections in the structure design.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.103-115
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• 2020

The cold-formed steel storage racks are extensively employed in various industries applications such as storing products in reliable places and storehouses before distribution to the market. Racking systems lose their stability under lateral loads, such as seismic actions due to the slenderness of elements and low ductility. This justifies a need for more investigation on methods to improve their behavior and increase their capacity to survive medium to severe loads. A standardized connection could be obtained through investigation on the moment resistance, value of original rotational stiffness, ductility, and failure mode of the connection. A total of six monotonic tests were carried out to determine the behavior of the connection of straight 2.0 mm, and 2.6 mm thickness connects to 5 lug end connectors. Then, the obtained results are benched mark as the original data. Furthermore, an extreme learning machine (ELM) technique has been employed to verify and predict both moment and rotation results. Out of 4 connections, increase the ultimate moment resistance of connection by 13% and 18% for 2.0 mm and 2.6 mm upright connection, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2015

An extended end-plate connection displays different behavioral properties and energy dissipation capacity based on the thickness and length of the end-plate comprising the connection in the form of a beam-to-column moment connection, the number and diameter of the high strength bolt, the gauge distance of the high strength bolt, and the size and length of the welds. Such extended end-plate is applied to beam-to-column connections in various geometric forms in the US and European regions. Currently in Korea, however, the extended end-plate beam-to-column connection is not actively applied due to the lack of proper design formulas, the evaluation of the energy dissipation capacity, and the provision of construction guidelines. Accordingly, this study was conducted to provide the basic data for the proposal of a prediction model of energy dissipation capacity by evaluating the energy dissipation capacity of unstiffened extended end-plate connections with relatively thin end plate thicknesses. To achieve this, a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis has been conducted on unstiffened extended end-plate connections, with the thickness of the end plate as the set variable.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.69-77
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• 2003

This paper presents test results on eight reduced beam section(RBS) steel moment connections. The testing program addressed bolted versus welded web connection and panel zone(PZ) strength as key variables, Specimens with medium PZ strength were designed to promote energy dissipation from both PZ and RBS regions such that the requirement for expensive doublet plates could be reduced. Both strong and medium PZ specimens with a welded web connection were able to provide satisfactory connection rotation capacity for special moment-resisting frames. On the other hand, specimens with a bolted web connection performed poorly due to premature brittle fracture of the beam flange of the weld access hole. If fracture within the beam flange groove weld was avoided using quality welding, the fracture tended to move into the beam flange base metal of the weld access hole. Plausible explanation of a higher incidence of base metal fracture in bolted web specimens was presented. The measured strain data confirmed that the classical beam theory dose not provide reliable shear transfer prediction in the connection. The practice of providing web bolts uniformly along the beam depth was brought into question. Criteria for a balanced PZ strength improves the plastic rotation capacity while reduces the amount of beam distortion ore also proposed.