• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2017

Seismic performance of hybrid steel frames defined as mixture of rigid and semi-rigid connections is investigated in this paper. Three frames with 10, 15 and 20 stories are designed with fully rigid connections and then with 4 patterns for semi-rigid connection placement, some of beam to column rigid connections would turn to semi-rigid. Each semi-rigid connection is considered with 4 different moment capacities and all rigid and semi-rigid frames consisting of 51 models are subjected to 5 selected earthquake records for nonlinear analysis. Maximum story drifts, roof acceleration and base shear are extracted for those 5 earthquake records and average values are obtained for each case. Based on numerical results for the proposed hybrid frames, story drifts remain in allowable range and the reductions in the maximum roof acceleration of 22, 29 and 25% and maximum base shear of 33, 31 and 54% occur in those 10, 15 and 20-story frames, respectively.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.249-261
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• 2022

This paper presents a numerical study to develop a guideline for estimating the plastic strength of elliptical steel slit damper with reasonable accuracy. The strut width increases from middle to end in elliptical steel slit damper and it is observed from the past studies that variation of the width is not considered for calculating the plastic strength of the damper. It is also noticed that the existing formulas for predicting plastic strength of this kind of damper may not be accurate and further refinement is warranted. Study is then carried on elliptical steel slit damper made of mild steel and having different geometry to find out equivalency of it with oblong steel slit damper having similar plastic strength. A few three-dimensional finite element models of seismic moment connection system with steel slit damper are developed and validated against past experiments for carrying the present study considering both the material nonlinearity as well as geometric nonlinearity. The results of the parametric studies have been compared with energy quantities and presented graphically to better understand the effects of different parameters on the system. Based on the pattern of parametric study results, closed-form semi-empirical algebraic expression of damper plastic strength is developed for elliptical steel slit damper which shows very good agreement with finite element analysis as well as experiments. This developed expression can now be used for elliptical steel slit damper in replacement with any type of damper in the design of moment connection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.315-328
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• 2018

Built-up Double-I (BD-I) columns consist of two hot rolled IPE sections and two cover plates which are welded by fillet welds. In Iran, this type of column is commonly used in braced frames with simple connections and sometimes in low-rise Moment Resisting Frames (MRF) with Welded Flange Plate (WFP) beam-column detailing. To evaluate the seismic performance of WFP connection of I-beam to BD-I column, traditional and modified exterior MRF connections were tested subjected to cyclic prescribed loading of AISC. Test results indicate that the traditional connection does not achieve the intended behavior while the modified connection can moderately meet the requirements of MRF connection. The numerical models of the connections were developed in ABAQUS finite element software and validated with the test results. For this purpose, moment-rotation curves and failure modes of the tested connections were compared with the simulation results. Moreover to avoid improper failure modes, some improvements of the connections were evaluated through a numerical study.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.89 no.2
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• pp.155-170
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• 2024

Several types of column-beam connections are used in the design of steel structures. This situation causes different cross-section effects and, therefore, different displacements and deformations. In other words, connection elements such as welds, bolts, continuity plates, end plates, and stiffness plates used in steel column-beam connections directly affect the section effects. This matter reveals the necessity of knowing the steel column-beam connection behaviours. In this article, behaviours of bolted column-beam connection with end plate widely used in steel structures are investigated comparatively the effects of the stiffness plates added to the beam body, the change in the end plate thickness and bolt diameter. The results obtained reveal that the moment and force carrying capacity of the said connection increases with the increase in the end plate thickness and bolt diameter. In contrast, it causes the other elements to deform and lose their capacity. This matter shows that optimum dimensions are very important in steel column-beam connections. In addition, it has been seen that adding a stiffness plate to the beam body part positively contributes to the connection's moment-carrying capacity.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.555-581
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• 2018

The moment-resistant steel frames are frequently used as a load-bearing structure of buildings. Global response of a moment-resistant frame structure strongly depends on connections behavior, which can significantly influence the response and load-bearing capacity of a steel frame structure. The analysis of a steel frame with included joints behavior is the main focus of this work. In particular, we analyze the behavior of two connection types through experimental tests, and we propose numerical beam model capable of representing connection behavior. The six experimental tests, under monotonic and cyclic loading, are performed for two different types of structural connections: end plate connection with an extended plate and end plate connection. The proposed damage-plasticity model of Reissner beam is able to capture both hardening and softening response under monotonic and cyclic loading. This model has 18 constitutive parameters, whose identification requires an elaborate procedure, which we illustrate in this work. We also present appropriate loading program and arrangement of measuring equipment, which is crucial for successful identification of constitutive parameters. Finally, throughout several practical examples, we illustrate that the steel structure connections are very important for correct prediction of the global steel frame structure response.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.497-507
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• 2019

Exposed column base connections are used in low- to mid-rise steel moment resisting frames. This paper is to investigate the effect of the base plate thickness on the exposed column base connection strength, stiffness, and energy dissipation. Five specimens with different base plate thickness were numerically modelled using ABAQUS software. The numerical model is able to reproduce the key characteristics of the experimental response. Based on the numerical analysis, the critical base plate thickness to identify the base plate and anchor rod yield mechanism is proposed. For the connection with base plate yield mechanism, the resisting moment is carried by the flexural bending of the base plate. Yield lines in the base plate on the tension side and compression side are illustrated, respectively. This type of connection exhibits a relatively large energy dissipation. For the connection with anchor rod yield mechanism, the moment is resisted through a combination of bearing stresses of concrete foundation on the compression side and tensile forces in the anchor rods on the tension side. This type of connection exhibits self-centering behavior and shows higher initial stiffness and bending strength. In addition, the methods to predict the moment resistance of the connection with different yield mechanisms are presented. And the evaluated moment resistances agree well with the values obtained from the FEM model.

• 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.19 no.6
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• pp.715-723
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• 2007

A displacement-based seismic design procedure was proposed for mid-to-low-rise steel moment frames. The proposed method was totally different from the current R-factor approach in that it directly uses available connection rotation capacity as a primary design variable. To this end, the relationship between available connection rotation capacity and seismic response modification (R factor) was established first; this relationship has been a missing link in current ductility-based design practice. A step-by-step displacement-based iterative design procedure was then proposed and verified using inelastic dynamic analysis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.483-491
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• 2008

There has been much focus on the strong axis steel moment connections after the Northridge earthquake in 1994. However, research studieson the seismic behavior of weak axis moment connections could be hardly found despite the fact that these connection details have been frequently used as seismic details of MRF in Korea. Therefore, the objective of this research is to provide better knowledge on the seismic behavior of weak-axis steel moment connections, which can be widely applicable to many structures with similar characteristics. For this purpose, an experimental program was designed and performed with twotypes of weak-axis steel moment connections, namely the bracket type and WUF-B type, based on the survey of existing field data and literatures. Using the experimental results obtained from the quasi-static cyclic testing of these specimens, structural performances of the joints such as hysteretic curves, maximum strength capacities and the strain of reinforced bars were investigated. From the test results, the bracket-type connection was shown to have more than a 5% story drift capacity, compared with the WUF-B type connection's 4%. These specimens were also shown to have higher strength capacities than the nominal design strength. The bracket-type connection showed a slow strength degradation after maximum strength was researched. However,the WUF-B type connection showed a rapid strength degradation that caused brittle behavior.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.12 no.4 s.47
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• pp.429-436
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• 2000

The composite system, which is consisted of the steel girder and reinforced concrete column has some advantages in the structural efficiency and the construction productivity by complementing the shortcomings between the two materials. This research is aimed at the development of the composite beam-column connection system by which the steel beam can be connected to the R/C column with smooth stress transfer. And, to ensure safety of this system, the tests of moment and shear resisting performance have been carried out for actual size specimen. From the test, the connection system has been preyed to take good resistance and stress transfer between steel girder and reinforced concrete column.