• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2010

The current trends in steel construction involve the use of tapered sections to minimize the use of excess materials to the extent possible, by choosing cross-sections that are as economical as possible abandoning the classical approach of using prismatic members. In addition, snug-tightened connections, especially the end-plate type, have the advantage of fetching less construction costs and shorter assembly times as opposed to fully tightened joints. Although they have many merits, however, snug-tightened bolted end plates are extremely complex in their structural behavior. In this study, an experimental investigation of the snug-tightened flush end-plate connections of tapered beams were conducted. The primary test parameters were the torque for the clamping bolt, the loading pattern, the bolt type and the connection failure type. Using initial stiffness and load-carrying capacity as proposed by Silva et al. and AISC (2003), the moment-rotation curve of a linearly tapered member with a snug-tightened flush end-plate connection was predicted. Moreover, numerical and experimental data for moment-rotation curves were compared.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.473-486
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• 2023

A through-railway bridge with an inclined girder has recently been applied to optimize the cross-section of a slender bridge structure in railway bridges. To achieve the additional cross-section optimization effect by the bolted end-plate connection, it is necessary to investigate the application of the bolted end-plate tension connection between the inclined girder and the crossbeam. This basic study was conducted on the application of the bolted end-plate moment connection of crossbeams to half-through girders with inclined webs. The combined behavior of vertical deflection and rotational behavior was observed due to the effect of the web inclination in the inclined girder where the steel crossbeam was connected to the girder by the bolted end-plate moment connection. Therefore, in the experiment, the deflection of the inclined girder was 1.77-2.93 times greater than that of the vertical girder but the lateral deflection of the inclined girder was 0.4 times less than that of the vertical girder. Moreover, the tensile stress of the upper bolts in the inclined girder with low crossbeams was clearly 0.81 times lower than that of the vertical girder. According to the results, the design formula for vertical girders does not reflect the influence of the web inclination. Therefore, this study proposed the design procedures for the inclined girder to apply the bolted end-plate moment connection of the crossbeam to the inclined girder by reflecting the design change factors according to the effect of the web inclination.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.339-351
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• 2022

A mortar-filled rectangular hollow structural section (RHS) can increase a structural section property as well as a compressive buckling capacity of a RHS member. In this study, the tensile performance of newly developed mortar-filled RHS members was experimentally evaluated with various connection details. The major test parameters were the type of end connections, the thickness of cap plates and shear plates, the use of stud bolts, and penetrating bars. The test results showed that the welded T-end connection experienced a brittle weld fracture at the welded connection, whereas the tensile performance of the T-end connection was improved by additional stud bolts inserted into the mortar within the RHS tube. For the end connection using shear plates and penetrating stud bolts, ductile behavior of the RHS tube was achieved after yielding. The penetrating bars increased load carrying capacity of the RHS. Based on the analysis of the load transfer mechanism, the current design code and test results were compared to evaluate the tensile capacity of the RHS tube according to the connection details. Design considerations for the connections of the mortar-filled RHS tubes were also recommended.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.353-370
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• 2020

This paper describes a new type of replaceable fuse for moment resisting frames. Column-tree connections with beam splice connections are frequently preferred in the moment resisting frames since they eliminate field welding and provide good quality. In the column-tree connections, a part of the beam is welded to the column in the shop and the rest of the beam is bolted with the splice connection in the field. In this study, a replaceable reduced beam section (R-RBS) connection is proposed in order to eliminate welding process and facilitate assembly at the site. In the proposed R-RBS connection, one end is connected by a beam splice connection to the beam and the other end is connected by a bolted end-plate connection to the column. More importantly is that the proposed R-RBS connection allows the replacement of the damaged R-RBS easily right after an earthquake. Pursuant to this goal, experimental and numerical studies have been undertaken to investigate the performance of the R-RBS connection. An experimental study on the RBS connection was used to substantiate the numerical model using ABAQUS, a commercially available finite element software. Additionally, five different finite element models were developed to conduct a parametric study. The results of the analysis were compared in terms of the moment and energy absorption capacities, PEEQ, rupture and tri-axiality indexes. The design process as well as the optimum dimensions of the R-RBS connections are presented. It was also demonstrated that the proposed R-RBS connection satisfies AISC criteria based on the nonlinear finite element analysis results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.57-71
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• 2013

The prediction of the low cycle fatigue (LCF) life of beam-column connections requires an LCF model that is developed using specific geometric information. The beam-column connection has several geometric variables, and changes in these variables must be taken into account to ensure sufficient robustness of the design. Previous research has verified that the finite element model (FEM) can be used to simulate LCF behavior at the end plate moment connection (EPMC). Three critical parameters, i.e., end plate thickness, beam flange thickness, and bolt distance, have been selected for this study to determine the geometric effects on LCF behavior. Seven FEMs for different geometries have been developed using these three critical parameters. The finite element analysis results have led to the development of a modified LCF model for the critical parameter groups.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.793-808
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• 2018

In this study, the seismic performance of the connections between L-shaped columns composed of concrete-filled steel tubes (L-CFST columns) and H-beams used in high-rise steel frame structures was investigated. Seven full-scale specimens were tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. The variables studied in the tests included the joint type, the axial compression ratio, the presence of concrete, the width-to-thickness ratio and the internal extension length of the side plates. The hysteretic response, strength degradation, stiffness degradation, ductility, plastic rotation capacity, energy dissipation capacity and the strain distribution were evaluated at different load cycles. The test results indicated that both the corner and exterior joint specimens failed due to local buckling and crack within the beam flange adjacent to the end of the side plates. However, the failure modes of the interior joint specimens primarily included local buckling and crack at the end plates and curved corners of the beam flange. A design method was proposed for the flexural capacity of the end plate connection in the interior joint. Good agreement was observed between the theoretical and test results of both the yield and ultimate flexural capacity of the end plate connection.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.12 no.4 s.47
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• pp.351-362
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• 2000

This paper is to study on the behavior of CFT column to H-beam end plate connections with penetrated high-strength bolts under cyclic load. The main parameters are as follows: 1) the thickness of end plate: 16mm, 22mm and 25mm, 2) the thickness of column : 9mm and 12mm. Comparison and analysis on the test results are performed in accordance with parameters. This study investigates energy absorption capacity of beam-column connections and analyzes the shear strength of joint panel. The shear strength of joint panel is estimated by superimposing the strength of the steel which is based on the von Mises yield criterion and that of the concrete which is used the Strut model to consider the effect of filled concrete.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-50
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• 2001

In this paper an experimental study is performed on end-plate type joints. The test arrangement represents a column-base joint of a steel frame. Altogether six specimens were tested, each of them subjected to cyclic loading. The specimens were carefully designed by performing detailed preliminary calculations so that they would present typical behaviour types of end-plate joints. On the basis of the experimentally established moment-rotation relationship, the cyclic characteristics of each specimen have been calculated and compared to one another. The results are evaluated, qualitative and quantitative conclusions are drawn.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.10 no.2 s.35
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• pp.211-219
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to investigate the structural behavior of Concrete-Filled Tubular Column H-Beam End-Plate Connections with Penetrated HT-Bolts under monotonic load. Simple bending tests are carried out with 5 kinds of specimens including beam specimen. The parameters of these tests are the thickness (T=22, 26. 30mm) of End-plates and the diameter (M=20, 22mm) of bolts. From the tests, the increasing values of yielding strength and initial stiffness of each specimen were gained as the thickness of End-plates and diameter of bolts are increasing. And the application of Bjorhovde et al and Eurocode 3 classification method by non-dimensional moment-rotation curves to the connections showed that all of them are included in rigid region as far as initial stiffness is concerned and all of them are also rigid as far as ultimate strength.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.443-456
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• 2019

Although numerous researchers demonstrated the significant difference in performance between the various beam-to-column connection types, most of the previous studies in the area of infilled steel frames focused on the behaviour of frames with welded connections. Therefore, there is a need for conducting studies on infilled steel frames with other common connection types (extended endplate with and without rib stiffeners, flush endplate and shear connections). In this paper, firstly, a two-dimensional finite-element model simulating the cyclic response of infilled steel frames was presented. The infill-frame interaction, as well as the interactions between connections' components, were properly modelled. Using the previously-validated model, a parametric study on infilled steel frames with five different beam-to-column connection types, under cyclic loading, was carried out. Several parameters, including infill material, fracture energy of masonry and infill thickness, were investigated. The results showed that the infilled frames with welded connections had the highest initial stiffness and load-carrying capacity. However, the infilled frames with extended endplate connections (without rib stiffeners) showed the greatest energy dissipation capacity and about 96% of the load-carrying capacity of frames with welded connections which indicates that this type of connection could have the best performance among the studied connection types. Finally, a simplified analytical model for estimating the stiffness and strength of infilled steel frames (with different beam-to-column connection types) subjected to lateral cyclic loading, was suggested.