• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.23-32
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• 1999

Behavior of H-beam connections under cyclic loadings is investigated experimentally in this study. The purpose of this study is to study the effect of steel properties and coping shape on the hysteretic behavior of H-beam connections. Five beam-to-column connection specimens were fabricated and tested under cyclic loadings. The load-rotation curves of the beam connections were mainly obtained. Deformation capacity and energy dissipation capacity of the connections are compared each other. The connections fabricated from SS400 showed good deformability and energy dissipation capacity, but those from SM490 showed brittle fracture at the connection. The coping shape at the connections showed a little difference in cyclic behavior.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.503-514
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• 2011

In this research, the seismic connection details for two concrete-filled U-shape steel beam-to-H columns were proposed and cyclically tested under a full-scale cruciform configuration. The key connecting components included the U-shape steel section (450 and 550 mm deep for specimens A and B, respectively), a concrete floor slab with a ribbed deck (165 mm deep for both specimens), welded couplers and rebars for negative moment transfer, and shear studs for full composite action and strengthening plates. Considering the unique constructional nature of the proposed connection, the critical limit states, such as the weld fracture, anchorage failure of the welded coupler, local buckling, concrete crushing, and rebar buckling, were carefully addressed in the specimen design. The test results showed that the connection details and design methods proposed in this study can well control the critical limit states mentioned above. Especially, the proposed connection according to the strengthening strategy successfully pushed the plastic hinge to the tip of the strengthened zone, as intended in the design, and was very effective in protecting the more vulnerable beam-to-column welded joint. The maximum story drift capacities of 6.0 and 6.8% radians were achieved in specimens A and B, respectively, thus far exceeding the minimumlimit of 4% radians required of special moment frames. Low-cycle fatigue fracture across the beam bottom flange at a 6% drift level was the final failure mode of specimen A. Specimen B failed through the fracture of the top splice plate of the bolted splice at a very high drift ratio of 8.0% radian.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2017

In the 1994 Northridge earthquake, connection damage initiated from the beam bottom flange was prevalent. The presence of a concrete slab and resulting composite action was speculated as one of the critical causes of the prevalent bottom flange fracture. In this study, four seismic retrofit schemes are proposed in order to salvage welded steel moment connections with composite floor slabs in existing steel moment frames. Because top flange modification of existing beams is not feasible due to the presence of a concrete floor slab, three schemes of bottom flange modification by using welded triangular or straight haunches or RBS(reduced beam section), and beam web strengthening by attaching heavy shear tab were cyclically tested and analyzed. Test results of this study show that haunch and web-strengthened specimens can eliminate the detrimental effect caused by composite action and ensure excellent connection plastic rotation exceeding 5% rad. Design recommendations for each retrofit scheme together with supplemental numerical studies are also presented.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2003

This paper presented the results of cyclic loading tests of 7 full-scale beams to column subassemblages with improved connection detail i.e., fillets of the stiffening plates at the column corners and ends of the stiffener-to-beam flange weld. Major findings from the test results were: (1) Fillets reduced the stress concentrations that may cause early brittle fractures and considerably improved the cyclic performance compared to the detail without fillets. (2) As the width of the stiffening plate increased, the stiffness and peak strength increased and energy dissipation capacity decreased. (3) While all specimens failed by a fracture, they could develop a total rotation of 0.04 radian required for special moment resisting frames.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.31-37
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• 2002

Recently a simplified design procedure as well as load transfer model for seismic steel moment connections with welded straight haunch have been proposed by Lee and Uang. Cyclic seismic testing was conducted to verify the proposed design procedure and to develop the details that will prevent the cracking at the haunch tip, where stress concentration was the highest. All the specimens thus designed effectively pushed plastic hinging away from the haunch tip and were able to develop satisfactory plastic rotation capacity of 0.04 radian with no fracture. A sloped edge combined with drilling a hole near the haunch tip or a pair of stiffeners(partially or fully) extended from the beam web successfully prevented the crack initiation at the haunch tip. The strut action of the haunch web, which had been predicted from the previous analytical study, was also experimentally identified through the strain gage readings.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.751-760
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the seismic performance of the frame which is assumed to be used with Welded Unreinforced Flange-Bolted web (WUF-B) connections and detailed in compliance with FEMA 350 recommended seismic design criteria. In FEMA 350, these types of connections are only valid for Ordinary Moment-Resisting Steel Frames (OMRSFs). For this purpose, based on test results, we proposed an analytical model for the Post-Northridge WUF-B connections with different panel zone strength ratios. Using the connection model, SAC Phase II three and nine-story frames were modeled and analyzed. From a nonlinear static pushover analysis, ductility, maximum strength, and the maximum interstory drift ratio were investigated for buildings with Post-Northridge details. Moreover, the maximum interstory drift ratio of each performance level (IO and CP) was also investigated through Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA). Analytical results were compared with those of buildings with either Pre-Northridge connection or ductile connections with no fracture. The analytical results showed that buildings with Post-Northridge WUF-B connections provide superior strength and interstory drift ratio capacity than buildings with Pre-Northridge WUF-B connections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.475-483
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• 2018

Square tubular columns are commonly used in moment resisting frames, while through-diaphragm connection is the most typical configuration detail to connect the H-shaped beam to the column. However, brittle fracture normally occurs at the complete joint penetration weld between the beam flange and the through-diaphragm due to the stress concentration caused by the geometrical discontinuity. Accordingly, three improved types of through-diaphragm are presented in this paper to provide smooth force flow path comparing to that of conventional connections. Tensile tests were conducted on four specimens and the results were analyzed in terms of failure modes, load-displacement response, yield and ultimate capacity, and initial stiffness. Furthermore, strain distributions on the through-diaphragm, the beam flange plate, and the column face were comprehensively evaluated and discussed. It was found that all the proposed three types of improved through-diaphragm connections were able to reduce the stress concentration in the welds between the beam flange and the through-diaphragm. Furthermore, the stress distribution in connection with longer tapered through-diaphragm was more uniform.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.169-180
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• 2017

Cyclic loading tests for beam-to-column weak-axis connections were performed to investigate the seismic performance. In this study, the connections were developed to improve the constructability on the basis of investigation for existing small-size steel structures. The primary test parameter is the number of high-tension bolts which are used to connect steel beam and column using exterior and interior flange plates. Test results showed that the number of bolts had a significant effect on the cyclic behavior of beam-column weak-axis connections. From the analysis of test results, it is concluded that more than four bolts in the connections can satisfy the requirements of semi-rigid connection presented in current design codes. All of specimens showed the bearing failure around bolt holes and fracture at the beam flange. However, when the web height and the flange width is relatively small, the number of the bolts used in the connections might be limited. Thus, the additional research in this area is needed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.601-612
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• 2013

In the present study, details of the TSC beam-to-PSRC column connection for low and middle seismic zones were developed. For ease construction, the top and bottom flanges of the steel section of the TSC beam were discontinuous at the joint face on purpose, while the web passes through the joint. Thus, tensile resistance of the top and bottom flanges is not considered in the calculation of nominal strength of the connection. Cyclic loading tests on two interior connections and an exterior connection were performed to verify the seismic performance. The test parameter for two interior connections was the depth of the TSC beams: 600 and 700 mm including the slab depth. The test results showed that the nominal strength of the connections predicted by KBC 2009 correlated well with the test results. The connection specimens exhibited relatively good deformation and energy dissipation capacities, greater than the requirements for the ordinary and intermediate moment frames. Ultimately, the connection specimens were failed at the story drift ratios of 3.0 to 4.0 % due to local buckling and tensile fracture of the web of the TSC beam passing through the joint. By modifying the existing provisions of ASCE, the joint shear strength of the TSC beam-PSRC column connection was evaluated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.711-723
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• 2012

Structural tests were performed to investigate the structural performance of concrete-filled steel tube column using different strength steels in their flange and web with high-strength steel HSA800 and mild steel SM490, respectively. The test parameters included the strength of column flange and infill concrete, and effect of concrete infill. Connection between different grade steels were welded using the electrode appropriate for mild steel and verified its performance. To evaluate the behavior of test specimens, eccentric loading tests were performed and the results were compared with the prediction by current design codes. Axial load and moment carrying capacity of test specimens increased with the yield strength of compression flange and weld fracture occurred after the specimen shows full strength. The prediction result for axial load-bending moment relationship and effective flexural stiffness gave good agreement with the test result.