• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.243-264
• /
• 2008

This paper details a testing facility ("NATURAL FIRE FACILITY") that allows closely-controlled experimental testing on full-scale sub-frames while reproducing the spatially transient temperature conditions measured in real fires. Using this test facility, an experimental investigation of six steel sub-frames under a natural fire was carried out at the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Coimbra. The main objective of these tests was to provide insight into the influence of these connection types on the behaviour of steel sub-structures under fire. The experimental layout is defined by two thermally insulated HEA300 columns and an unprotected IPE300 beam with 5.7 m span, supporting a composite concrete slab. Beam-to-column connections are representative of the most common joint type used on buildings: welded joints and extended, flush and partial depth plate. Finally, the available results are presented and discussed: evolution of the steel temperature; development of displacements and local deformations and failure modes on the joints zone.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.575-583
• /
• 2009

As the height of buildings rises, new structural systems are being applied other than theexisting S, RC, and SRC to decrease the weight of buildings and to make their construction more efficient, CFT structureshad been applied in many building construction projects due to their superior structural performance and construction efficiency. CFT structures need a diaphragm to harmoniously transmit the beam flange load to the column and the opponent beam in connections. Especially, on the right and left sides of the column other beams are connected, The establishment of a diaphragm for the lower part flange load delivery of the beam and guarantee for concrete filing capacity difficulty have (What does this mean?). In this paper, connection details are proposed in the form of a welded vertical plate with a circular hole on the CFT column's interior to harmoniously transmit the lower-part beam flange load to the column and the opponent beam. Thesediaphragm details use the concrete anchor effect in the beam flange load delivery, with the concrete-filled CFT column interior piercing the hole of the perforated plate, and a perforated board is established vertically to improve the concrete filling capacity. To analyze the structural performance of the proposed connection details, five simple tension specimens were made with the following parameters: with our without vertical and horizontal perforated plates, shear hole number, concrete filled or not, thickness of the perforated plate, etc. Then experimental tests were performed on these specimens.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.503-514
• /
• 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
• /
• v.19 no.6
• /
• pp.751-760
• /
• 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.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.411-420
• /
• 2007

The applicability of headed bars in exterior beam-column joints under reversed cyclic loading was investigated. A total of ten pullout tests were first performed to examine pullout behavior of headed bars subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading with test variables such as connection type between head and bar stem (weld or no weld), loading methods (monotonic or cyclic loading), and head shape (small or large circular head and square head). Two full-scale beam-column joint tests were then performed to compare the structural behavior of exterior beam-column joints constructed using two different reinforcement details: i.e. $90^{\circ}$ standard hooks and headed bars. Both joints were designed following the recommendations of ACI-ASCE Committee 352 for Type 2 performance: i.e. the connection is required to dissipate energy through reversals of deformation into inelastic range. The pullout test results revealed that welded head to the stem did not necessarily result in increased pullout strength when compared to non-welded head. Relatively large circular head resulted in higher peak load than smaller circular and square head. Both beam-column joints with conventional $90^{\circ}$ hooks and headed bars behaved similarly in terms of crack development, hysteresis curves, and peak strengths. The joint using the headed bars showed better overall structural performance in terms of ductility, deformation capacity, and energy dissipation. These experimental results demonstrate that the headed bars using relatively small head can be properly designed far use in external beam-column joint.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.783-792
• /
• 2008

While the recent high demand for mega-tall buildings has led to the development of high-performance and high-strength steels, the requirements for architectural-structure-performance steel have been raised as engineers recognize the potential damage that an earthquake can wreak on a tall building. A 600MPa-class steel has emerged to meet such need, and many studies are currently exploring its practical applications on civil engineering works and mega-tall buildings. The available data on the horizontal-force behaviors of structures built with such new steel, however, are still insufficient. There is an urgent need to look into its design data, especially its toughness, and to compare the plastic strain ratios of column-to-beam connections using high-strength steel and regular steel. One of the first studies on the behavior of a column-to-beam connection using 600MPa-class steel (SM570 TMC), this thesis analyzes such steel's structural performance by conducting a structural test on seismic resistance on a full-scale column-to-beam welded connection with non-scallop and recommended-scallop details. Compared with the previous studies on SM490, this thesis evaluates the weldability of SM570 TMC and presents the latter's seismic design data for use in testing its practical application.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.385-396
• /
• 2014

Traditionally, domestic steel design and construction practice has provided extra shear studs to moment frame beams even when they are designed as non-composite beams. In the 1994 Northridge earthquake, connection damage initiated from the beam bottom flange side was prevalent. The upward moving of the neutral axis due to the composite action between steel beam and floor deck was speculated to be one of the critical causes. In this study, full-scale seismic testing was conducted to investigate the side effects of the composite action in steel seismic moment frames. The specimen PN700-C, designed following the domestic connection and floor deck details, exhibited significant upward shift of the neutral axis under sagging (or positive) moment, thus producing high strain demand on the bottom flange, and showed a poor seismic performance because of brittle fracture of the beam bottom flange at 3% story drift. The specimen DB700-C, designed by using RBS connection and with the details of minimized floor composite action, exhibited superior seismic performance, without experiencing any fracture or concrete crushing, almost identical to the bare steel counterpart (specimen DB700-NC). The results of this study clearly indicate that the beams and connections in seismic steel moment frames should be constructed to minimize the composite action of a floor deck if possible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.303-312
• /
• 2007

Steel box girder bridges are being commonly designed for medium-span bridges of span length. Composite truss bridges with steel diagonals instead of concrete webs can be an excellent design alternative, because it can reduce the dead weight of superstructures. One of the key issues in the design of composite truss bridges is the joint structureconnecting the diagonal steel members with the upper and lower concrete slabs. Because the connection has to carry concentrated combined loads and the design provisions for the joint are not clear, it is necessary to investigate the load transfer mechanism and the design methods for each limit state. There are various connection details according to the types of diagonal members. In this paper, the joint structure with group stud connectors welded on a gusset plate is used. Push-out tests for the group stud connectors of were performed. The test results showed that the current design codes on the ultimate strength ofthe stud connection can be used when the required minimum spacing of stud connectors is satisfied. Flexure-shear tests were conducted to verify the applicability of the design provisions for combined load effects to the strength of joint structures. To increase the pullout strength of the connection, bent studs were proposed and utilized for the edge studs in the group arrangement of the joint. The results showed that the details of the joint structure were enhanced. Thereafter, design guidelines were proposed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.585-596
• /
• 2009

In the construction of end-plate connections, the end-plate is welded to the end of the beam in a factory and fastened by bolts in the field. This connection is widely used in advanced countries such as European countries and the U.S. Its design and connection details are prescribed in Eurocode 3, AISC LRFD, and FEMA 350. In Korea, the standards for seismic design in KBC 2005 have been reinforced based on IBC 2000 in the U.S., and it is expected that the connection details in the U.S. will be adopted for the establishment of beam-to-column design standards. In the U.S. thick end-plates are used for the connections to prevent beam rupture. The use of the connections in Korea, however, may lead toover-design. In this experimental study, the design standards for the end-plate connections provided by FEMA-350 were analyzed and structural tests for six specimens were conducted with the variables being the shim plate and the connection shape, to provide the best specifications for connections with plastic deformation in the end-plate for use in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.289-301
• /
• 2008

Double skin composite (DSC) wall is a structural wall that is filed with concrete between two steel plate skins connected by tie bars. This type of wall was developed to enhance the structural performance of wall, to reduce wall thickness, and to enhance constructibility, eliminating the use of formwork and re-bars. In this study, cyclic tests were performed to investigate the inelastic behavior and earthquake resistance of isolated and coupled DSC walls with rectangular and T-shapedcross-sections. The DSC walls showed stable cyclic behaviors, exhibiting excellent energy dissipation capacity. The te st specimens failed by the tensile fracture of welded joints at the wall base and coupling beam and by the severe local buckling of the steel plate. The deformation capacity of the walls varied with the connection details at the wall base and their cross-sectional shapes. The specimens with well-detailed connections at the wall base showed relatively god deformation capacity ranging from 2.0% to 3.7% drift ratio. The load-carrying capacities of the isolated and coupled wall specimens were evaluated considering their inelastic behavior. The results were compared with the test results.