• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.603-622
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• 2018

Precast concrete structures are erected from individual prefabricated components, which are assembled on-site using different types of connections. In the present design of these structures, beam-to-column connections are assumed pin jointed. Bolted billet beam to-column connections have been used in the precast concrete industry for many years. They have many advantages over other jointing methods in component production, quality control, transportation and assembly. However, there is currently limited information concerning their detailed structural behaviour under vertical loadings. The experimental work has involved the determination of moment-relative rotation relationships for semi-rigid precast concrete connections in full-scale connection tests. The study reported in this paper was undertaken to clarify the behaviour of such connections under symmetrical vertical loadings. A series of full-scale tests was performed on sample column for which the column geometry and bolt arrangements conformed to successful commercial practice. Proprietary hollow core floor slabs were tied to the beams by 2T25 tensile reinforcing bars, which also provide the in-plane continuity across the connections. The contribution of the floor strength and stiffness to the flexural capacity of the joint is currently neglected in the design process for precast concrete frames. The flexural strength of the connections in the double-sided tests was at least 0.93 times the predicted moment of resistance of the composite beam and slab. The secant stiffness of the connections ranged from 0.94 to 1.94 times the flexural stiffness of the attached beam. In general, the double-sided connections were found to be more suited to a semi-rigid design approach than the single sided ones. The behaviour of double sided bolted billet connection test results are presented in this paper. The behaviour of single sided bolted billet connection test results is the subject of another paper.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2000

The Oktalok nodal connection system is an aesthetic and efficient system. It has been widely used throughout Australia. The paper will briefly introduce the concept and application of the Oktalok nodal system. The existing design method is based on the assumption that the joints are pin-ended, i.e., the rotational stiffness of the joints is zero. However the ultimate capacity of the frame may increase significantly depending on the rotational stiffness of the joints. Stiffness tests and finite element simulations were carried out to determine the rotational stiffness of the Oktalok joints. Column buckling tests and non-linear finite element analyses were performed to determine the member capacity of columns with semi-rigid end conditions. A simple formulae for the effective length factor of column buckling is derived based on the above experimental and theoretical investigations.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.539-569
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• 2012

The behaviour of beam-to-column connections plays an important role in the analysis and design of steel structures. A computer-based method is presented for nonlinear steel frames with semi-rigid connections accounting for shear deformations. The analytical procedure employs transcendental stability functions to model the effect of axial force on the stiffness of members. The member stiffness matrix, and the fixed end forces for various loads were found. The nonlinear analysis method is applied for three planar steel structures. The method is readily implemented on a computer using matrix structural analysis techniques and is applicable for the efficient nonlinear analysis of frameworks.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.617-628
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• 2019

As an extremely destructive accident, progressive collapse is defined as the spread of an initial local failure from element to element, resulting eventually in the collapse of an entire structure or disproportionately large of it. To prevent the occurrence of it and evaluate the ability of structure resisting progressive collapse, the nonlinear static procedure is usually adopted in the whole structure design process, which considered dynamic effect by utilizing Dynamic Increase Factor (DIF). In current researches, the determining of DIF is performed in full-rigid frame, however, the performance of beam-column connection in the majority of existing frame structures is not full-rigid. In this study, based on the component method proposed by EC3 guideline, the expression of extended endplate connection performance is further derived, and the connection performance is taken into consideration when evaluated the performance of structure resisting progressive collapse by applying the revised plastic P-M hinge. The DIF for structures with extended endplate beam-column connection have been determined and compared with the DIF permitted in current GSA guideline, the necessity of considering connection stiffness in determining the DIF have been proved.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.21-32
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• 2018

Prefabricated structures are constructed by bolted connections of separated members. The design and analysis of these structures are generally performed by defining fully hinges for the connection of separated members at the joint of junction. In practice, these connections are not fully hinged. Therefore, the assumption of semi-rigid connections (restrained or partially fixity) instead of fully hinge connections is a more realistic approach for bolted connections used in the prefabricated elements. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of semi-rigid connections on seismic performance of prefabricated structures. Nonlinear static analysis (pushover analysis) of a selected RC prefabricated structure is performed with SAP2000 structural analysis program by considering various partially fixity percentages for bolted connections. The target values of roof displacements obtained from the analyses according to ATC-40, FEMA-356, FEMA-440, and TEC-2007 codes are compared each other. The numerical results are given in tables and figures comparatively and discussed. The results show that the effects of semi-rigid connections should be considered in design and analysis of the prefabricated structures.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.707-716
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• 2006

The optimization of the direct design system of semi-rigid steel frames using advanced analysis and genetic algorithm was presented. Advanced analysis can predict the combined nonlinear effects of connection, geometry, and material on the behavior and strength of semi-rigid frames. Geometric nonlinearity was determined using stability functions. On the other hand, material nonlinearity was determined using the Column Research Council (CRC) tangent modulus and parabolic function. The Kishi-Chen power model was used to describe the nonlinear behavior of semi-rigid connections. The genetic algorithm was used as the optimization technique. The objective function was assumed as the weight of the steel frame, with the constraint functions accounting for load-carrying capacities, deflections, inter-story drifts and ductility requirement. Member sizes determined by the proposed method were compared with those derived using the conventional method.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 2018

This paper proposes a developed optimization model for steel frames with semi-rigid beam-to-column connections and fixed bases using teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) and genetic algorithm (GA) techniques. This method uses rotational deformations of frame members ends as an optimization variable to simultaneously obtain the optimum cross-sections and the most suitable beam-to-column connection type. The total cost of members plus connections cost of the frame are minimized. Frye and Morris (1975) polynomial model is used for modeling nonlinearity of semi-rigid connections, and the $P-{\Delta}$ effect and geometric nonlinearity are considered through a stepped analysis process. The stress and displacement constraints of AISC-LRFD (2016) specifications, along with size fitting constraints, are considered in the design procedure. The developed model is applied to three benchmark steel frames, and the results are compared with previous literature results. The comparisons show that developed model using both LTBO and GA achieves better results than previous approaches in the literature.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.833-840
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• 2008

The time and cost can be reduced when applying partial precast concrete to the stair system in comparison to the cast-in-place or precast method. Because the performance of staircase which is used for evacuation can be largely different from connection types of precast concrete member, we tried to know structural behavior and performance evaluation according to each type of stair joints by experimental study. In the cast-in-place rigid joint, much reinforcement is needed in the end portion because much stress is concentrated in the middle portion. Also, in the pin joint which is used in the connection point, the maximum stress occurs in the middle point, so not only the amount of re-bar is increased but also the serviceability is largely decreased. The bolt type of semi-rigid joints proposed in this study had been increased strength and serviceability which is similar to the rigid joints. Also, its ductility was shown about 0.7 times in comparison to the rigid type and was about 2.8 times for the pin joint type. According to the classification of joint in Eurocode, it can be considered that it is one of the semi-rigid joints which are in the semi-rigid-full strength, and the structural behavior can be expected by using a model which applied to stiffness value decreased by 40 percent.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.597-608
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• 2009

In this paper, large-deformation elasto-plastic analysis of space frames that considersjoint connection properties is presented. This method is based on the large-deformation formula with finite rotation, which was developed initially for elastic systems, and is extended herein to include the elasto-plastic effect and the member joint connection properties of semi-rigid what?. The analytical method was derived from the Eulerian concept, which takes into consideration the effects of large joint translations and rotations. The localmember force-deformation relationships were obtained from the beam-column approach, and the change caused by the axial strain in the member chord lengths and flexural bowing were taken into account. The effect of the axial force of the member on bending and torsional stiffness, and on the plastic moment capacity, is included in the analysis. The material is assumed to be ideally elasto-plastic, and yielding is considered concentrated at the member ends in the form of plastic hinges. The semi-rigid properties of the member joint connection are considered based on the power or linear model. The arc length method is usedto trace the post-buckling range of the elastic and elasto-plastic problems with the semi-rigid connection. A sample non-linear buckling analysis was carried out with the proposed space frame formulations to demonstrate the potential of the developed method in terms of its accuracy and efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.35-42
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• 2000

Among the various models proposed for the description of semi-rigid connection behavior, Kinney's fixity facto. (=f) definition is adopted. If one follows this definition, f=1.0 signifies a completely fixed connection and f=0.0, the frictionless hinge. Kim's new slope-deflection equations based on the Kinney's fixity factors are the principal idea of this paper. Proposed finite element program also includes the effect of axial shortening of column, which is neglected in the stress analysis of frame leg conventional slope-deflection method. For the economic design, especially for the saving of beam weight in the high-rise office buildings or apartment houses, the proposed method can be applied.