• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.53-69
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• 2023

The rotational stiffness of a semi-rigid beam-to-column connection plays an important role in the reduction of the second-order effects in the precast concrete skeletal frames. The aim of this study is to present a detailed nonlinear finite element study to reproduce the experimental response of a semi-rigid precast beam-to-column connection composed by corbel, dowel bar and continuity tie bars available in the literature. A parametric study was carried using four arrangements of the reinforcing tie bars in the connection, including high ratio of the continuity tie bars passing around the column in the cast-in-place concrete. The results from the parametric study were compared to analytical equations proposed to evaluate the secant rotational stiffness of beam-to-column connections. The good agreement with the experimental results was obtained, demonstrating that the finite element model can accurately predict the structural behaviour of the beam-to-column connection despite its complex geometric configuration. The secant rotational stiffness of the connection was good evaluated by the analytical model available in the literature for ratio of the continuity tie bars of up to 0.69%. Precast beam-to-column connection with a ratio of the continuity tie bars higher than 1.4% had the secant stiffness overestimated. Therefore, an adjustment coefficient for the effective depth of the crack at the end of the beam was proposed for the analytical model, which is a function of the ratio of the continuity tie bars.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.469-484
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• 2001

A new beam system comprising two cantilever stems and an interspan composite beam has been developed and its design philosophy is described in this paper. The system provides the equivalent of a semi-continuous beam without the requirement to calculate the moment rotation capacity of the beam-to-column connection. The economy of braced frames using the system has been investigated and compared with simple, continuous or semi-rigid systems. It is shown that the costs of the proposed system are similar to the semi-rigid system and cheaper than both the simply supported and rigid beam systems. Two tests have been carried out on 6 meter span beams, which also incorporated an asymmetric flange steel section. The behaviour of the system is presented and the test results are compared with those obtained from the theory.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.11 no.4 s.41
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• pp.425-433
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• 1999

Structural analysis and design of steel frames is usually conducted under the assumption that beam-to-column connections are either fixed or pinned. In reality, each connection possesses a certain rotational stiffness. In this study, structural analysis program is developed, which takes into account the nonlinear behavior of framed structures including flexibility of semi-rigid connections and member geometric nonlinearity. Effective semi-rigid connections for a 6-story unbraced steel frame are suggested and the effect of flexible connections on the behavior of the structure are studied.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.403-421
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• 2008

The design provisions for semi-rigid steel frames have been incorporated in codes of practice for steel structures. In order to do the same, it is necessary to know the experimental moment-relative rotation (M-${\theta}_r$) behaviour of beam-to-column connections. In spite of numerous publications and collection of several connection databases, there is no unified approach for the semi-rigid design of steel frames. Amongst the many connection models available, the Frye-Morris polynomial model, with its limitations reported in the literature, is simple to adopt at least for the linear design space. However this model requires more number of connection tests and regression analyses to make it a realistic prediction model. In this paper, 3D nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis of beam-column connection specimens, carried out using ABAQUS software, for evaluating the M-${\theta}_r$ behaviour of semi-rigid top and seat-angle (TSA) bolted connections are described. The finite element model is validated against experimental behaviour of the same connection with regard to their moment-rotation behaviour, stress distribution and mode of failure of the connections. The calibrated FE model is used to evaluate the performance of the Frye-Morris polynomial model. The results of the numerical parametric studies carried out using the validated FE model have been used in proposing modifications to the Frye-Morris model for TSA connection in terms of the powers of the size parameters.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.89 no.3
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• pp.309-321
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• 2024

In this paper, the effect of semi-rigid connections on the stability bearing capacity of cross-bracings in steel tubular transmission towers is investigated. Herein, a prediction method based on the hybrid model which is a combination of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and backpropagation neural network (BPNN) is proposed to accurately predict the stability bearing capacity of cross-bracings with semi-rigid connections and to efficiently conduct its probabilistic assessment. Firstly, the establishment of the finite element (FE) model of cross-bracings with semi-rigid connections is developed on the basis of the development of the mechanical model. Then, a dataset of 7425 samples generated by the FE model is used to train and test the PSO-BPNN model, and the accuracy of the proposed method is evaluated. Finally, the probabilistic assessment for the stability bearing capacity of cross-bracings with semi-rigid connections is conducted based on the proposed method and the Monte Carlo simulation, in which the geometric and material properties including the outer diameter and thickness of cross-sections and the yield strength of steel are considered as random variables. The results indicate that the proposed method based on the PSO-BPNN model has high accuracy in predicting the stability bearing capacity of cross-bracings with semi-rigid connections. Meanwhile, the semi-rigid connections could enhance the stability bearing capacity of cross-bracings and the reliability of cross-bracings would significantly increase after considering semi-rigid connections.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.11 no.2 s.39
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• pp.241-241
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• 1999

The analysis and design of steel frames are usually carried out under the assumption that the connections of beam-to-column are either fully rigid or ideally pinned. However the connections actually show semi-rigid behavior in many cases. The authors investigated the structural behavior of simi-rigid connection with reformed T-stub by using of SM490 steel. The objective of the study is to investigate the structural behavior of the beam-to-column semi-rigid connection with reformed T-stub, which is made of SS400 steel. The beam-to-column connections by using reformed T-stubs were tested under monotonic loading and cyclic loading condition. The possibility of application of semi-rigid connections with reformed T-stubs was ascertained from test results.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.1065-1084
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• 2016

The analysis and design of skeletal structures is greatly influenced by the behaviour of beam-to-column connections, where patented designs have led to a wide range of types with differing structural quantities. The behaviour of beam-to-column connections plays an important role in the analysis and design of framed structures. This paper presents an overview of the influence of connection behaviour on structural stability, in the in-plane (bending) mode of sway. A computer-based method is presented for geometrically nonlinear plane frames with semi-rigid connections accounting for shear deformations. The analytical procedure employs transcendental modified stability functions to model the effect of axial force on the stiffness of members. The member stiffness matrix were found. The critical load has been searched as a suitable load parameter for the loss of stability of the system. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the validity of the analysis procedure. The method is readily implemented on a computer using matrix structural analysis techniques and is applicable for the efficient nonlinear analysis of frameworks. Combined with a parametric column effective length study, connection and frame stiffness are used to propose a method for the analysis of semi-rigid frames where column effective lengths are greatly reduced and second order (deflection induced) bending moments in the column may be distributed via the connectors to the beams, leading to significant economies.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.209-221
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• 2018

An empirical and efficient method is presented for calculating the dynamic increase factor to amplify the applied loads on the affected bays of a steel frame structure with semi-rigid connections. The nonlinear static alternate path analysis is used to evaluate the dynamic responses. First, the polynomial models of the extended end plate and the top and seat connection are modified, and the proposed polynomial model of the flush end plate connection shows good agreement as compared with experimental results. Next, a beam model with nonlinear spring elements and plastic hinges is utilized to incorporate the combined effect of connection flexibility and material nonlinearity. A new step-by-step analysis procedure is established to obtain quickly the dynamic increase factor based on a combination of the pushdown analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis. Finally, the modified dynamic increase factor equation, defined as a function of the maximum ratio value of energy demand to energy capacity of an affected beam, is derived by curve fitting data points generated by the different analysis cases with different column removal scenarios and five types of semi-rigid connections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2022

This research evaluated the different types of deck to pier connections effects (one or two elastomeric bearing lines and rigid) on a concrete bridges. Three-dimensional bridge models behavior with different deck to pier connections and different distances of two bearing lines were studied under the service load. Also, the detailed connection system with two elastomeric bearing lines was modeled to evaluate the effect of changing distance between two-lines. Results indicated that the proper location of elastomeric bearings has a major impact on the transferring forces to the substructure. Double elastomeric bearing lines have a behavior between one line and rigid connections. Transferring bending moment to the substructure in two-lines is more than the corresponding value of the one line. Moreover, an increase in the distance of two-lines lead to a significant increase in the rotational stiffness of the connection, and an analytical solution was investigated for their relation. In fact, the semi-rigidity effect of this connection and its change due to the distance of bearings should be considered in the design process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.503-513
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• 2007

The seismic responses of a building are affected by the connection characteristics that have effects on structural stiffness. In this study, push-over analysis and time history analysis were performed to estimate structural behavior of 2D eight-story unbraced steel structures with partially restrained composite connections using a nonlinear dynamic analysis program. Nonlinear $M-{\theta}$characteristics of connection and material inelastic characteristics of composite beam and steel column were considered. The idealization of composite semi-rigid connection as fully rigid connection yielded an increase in initial stiffness and ultimate strength in the push-over analysis. In time history analysis, the stiffness and hysteretic behavior of connections have effects on base-shear force, maximum story-drift and maximum moment in beams and columns. For seismic waves with PGA of 0.4 g, the structure with the semi-rigid composite connections shows the maximum story-drift with less than the life safety criteria by FEMA 273 and no inelastic behavior of beam and column, whereas in the structure with rigid connections, beams and columns have experienced inelastic behaviors.