• 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.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.531-547
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• 2009

This paper presents the experimental results on the strength behavior and failure modes of box beam-to-circular column connections in steel piers. Previous research introduced parameters such as joint central angles, extension of horizontal stiffeners, and use of equivalent web depth, which ignored strength behavior and failure modes of box beam-to-circular column connections. The use of equivalent web depth $d_2$ is not reasonable when central angle ${\alpha}$ is closer to $90^{\circ}$; therefore, a monotonic loading test has been performed for eight connection specimens. From the test, it is identified that the connection with the circular column is stronger than the connection with the box-sectioned substitution column. Also, the strength of the beam-to-column connections with horizontal stiffeners is higher than the one of the no column stiffeners. The concrete-filled effect of box beam-to-circular column connection is also investigated, and the experimental yield strength of the connection is compared with the theoretical one. Also, more a reasonable equivalent web depth is suggested. The failure modes of connection are clearly defined.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.915-935
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• 2016

Steel systems composed of Reinforced Concrete column to Steel beam connection (RCS) have been raised as a structural system in the past few years. The optimized combination of steel-concrete structural elements has the advantages of both systems. Through beam and through column connections are two main categories in RCS systems. This study includes finite-element analyses of mentioned connection to investigate the seismic performance of RCS connections. The finite element model using ABAQUS software has been verified with experimental results of a through beam type connection tested in Taiwan in 2005. According to verified finite element model a parametric study has been carried out on five RCS frames with different types of lateral restraint system. The main objective of this study is to investigate the forming of plastic hinges, distribution of stresses, ductility and stiffness of these models. The results of current research showed good performance of composite systems including concrete column-steel beam in combination with steel shear wall and bracing system, are very desirable. The results show that the linear stiffness of models with X bracing and steel shear wall increase remarkably and their ultimate strength increase about three times rather than other RCS frames.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.9 no.1 s.30
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• pp.13-22
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• 1997

This paper is concerned with an experimental study on structural behavior of Concrete-Filled Circular Tubular(CFCT) column to H-beam connections. The important parameters are the number of inner reinforced rib and the width of H-beam flange(100, 150, 200mm) with variable column thickness(5.8mm, 9.2mm, 12.5mm) around the joint between CFCT and H-beam. Test results are summarized for the displacement, strength, initial stiffness, failure mode and energy absorption capacity of each specimen. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the initial stiffness and the strength of connections to evaluate the structural behavior of the CFCT column to H-beam connections. From the discussion about the test results, the basic data for non diaphragm connection design would be suggested.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2019

This paper describes an experimental study of steel beam-column connections with or without expanded beam flanges with different geometries. The objectives of this study are to elucidate the cyclic behavior of these connections, identify the location of the plastic hinge zone, and provide useful test data for future numerical simulations. Five connection specimens are designed and tested under cyclic load. The test setup consists of a beam and a column connected together by a connection with or without expanded beam flanges. A constant axial force is applied to the column and a time varying point load is applied to the free end of the beam, inducing shear and moment in the connection. Because the only effect to be studied in the present work is the expanded beam flange, the sizes of the beam and column as well as the magnitude of the axial force in the column are kept constant. However, the length, width and shape of the expanded beam flanges are varied. The responses of these connections in terms of their hysteretic behavior, failure modes, stiffness degradation and strain variations are experimentally obtained and discussed. The test results show that while the influence of the expanded beam flanges on hysteretic behavior, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation capacity of the connection is relatively minor, the size of the expanded beam flanges does affect the location of the plastic hinge zone and strain variations in these beam-column joints. Furthermore, in terms of ductility, moment and rotational capacities, all five connections behave well. No weld fracture or premature failure occurs before the formation of a plastic hinge in the beam.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.409-420
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• 2017

This paper theoretically studies the cyclic behavior of hybrid connections between steel coupling beams and concrete shear walls with embedded steel columns. Finite element models of connections with long and short embedded steel columns are built in ABAQUS and validated against the test results in the companion paper. Parametric studies are carried out using the validated FE model to determine the key influencing factors on the load-bearing capacity of connections. A close-form solution of the load-bearing capacity of connections is proposed by considering the contributions from the compressive strength of concrete at the interface between the embedded beam and concrete, shear yielding of column web in the tensile region, and shear capacity of column web and concrete in joint zone. The results show that the bond slip between embedded steel members and concrete should be considered which can be simulated by defining contact boundary conditions. It is found that the loadbearing capacity of connections strongly depends on the section height, flange width and web thickness of the embedded column. The accuracy of the proposed calculation method is validated against test results and also verified against FE results (with differences within 10%). It is recommended that embedded steel columns should be placed along the entire height of shear walls to facilitate construction and enhance the ductility. The thickness and section height of embedded columns should be increased to enhance the load-bearing capacity of connections. The stirrups in the joint zone should be strengthened and embedded columns with very small section height should be avoided.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.343-362
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• 2018

A simplified spring connection modelling approach for steel flush endplate beam-to-column connections in fire has been developed to enable realistic behaviour of connections to be incorporated into full-scale frame analyses at elevated temperature. Due to its simplicity and reliability, the proposed approach permits full-scale high-temperature frame analysis to be conducted without high computational cost. The proposed simplified spring connection modelling approach has been used to investigate the influence of connection ductility (both axial and rotational) on frame behaviour in fire. 2D steel and 3D composite frames with a range of beam spans were modelled to aid the understanding of the differences in frame response in fire where the beam-to-column connections have different axial and rotational ductility assumptions. The modelling results highlight that adopting the conventional rigid or pinned connection assumptions does not permit the axial forces acting on the connections to be accurately predicted, since the axial ductility of the connection is completely neglected when the rotational ductility is either fully restrained or free. By accounting for realistic axial and rotational ductilities of beam-to-column connections, the frame response in fire can be predicted more accurately, which is advantageous in performance-based structural fire engineering design.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.361-373
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• 2014

As the height and beam span of buildings built in the construction market increase, increasingly higher quality is being required of the construction materials. In response to this trend, 800MPa tensile strength class steel was developed in domestic company. Currently, experiments applying flexural member, compression member, and connections are continuously conducted, but a design guideline for high strength steel has yet to be established. Among those construction materials, for the high strength steel beam-to-column connections, the evaluation of implementing ductile connections for the high strength steel beam-to-column connections is producing pessimistic results and the number of related researches is inadequate because of the high yield ratio, which is the characteristic of high strength steel. This study on implementation of ductile connections made of high strength steel was conducted using the connection detail as the variable, for the purpose of enhancing the deformation capacity of high strength steel beam-to-column connections. Cyclic loading test and nonlinear finite element analysis were conducted with full-scale mock-up connection models with the applied connection details. As a result, the structural performance of high-strength steel beam-to-column connection with presented detail was contented with demand of Special Moment Frames of KBC standard.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.103-119
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• 2024

In this paper, the non-linear behavior of masonry-infill and bare steel frames using different beam-column connections under monotonic static loading was investigated through a parametric study. Numerical models were carried out using one- and two-dimensional modelling to validate the experimental results. After validating the experimental results by using these models, a parametric study was carried out to model the behavior of these frames using flushed, extended, and welded connections. The results showed that using the welded or extended connection is more efficient than using the flushed type in masonry-infilled steel frames, since the lateral capacities, initial stiffness, and toughness have been increased by 155%, 601%, and 165%, respectively in the case of using welded connections compared with those used in bare frames. The FE investigation was broadened to study the influence of the variation of the uniaxial column loads on the lateral capacities of the bare/infill steel frames. As the results showed when increasing the amount of uniaxial loading on the columns, whether in tension or compression, causes the lateral load capacity of the columns to decrease by 26% for welded infilled steel frames. Finally, the influence of using different types of beam-to-column connections on the vertical capacities of the bare/infill steel frames under settlement effect was also studied. As a result, it was found that, the vertical load capacity of all types of frames and with using any type of connections is severely reduced, and this decrease may reach 62% for welded infilled frames. Furthermore, the flushed masonry-infilled steel frame has a higher resistance to the vertical loads than the flushed bare steel frame by 133%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.169-180
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• 2017

Cyclic loading tests for beam-to-column weak-axis connections were performed to investigate the seismic performance. In this study, the connections were developed to improve the constructability on the basis of investigation for existing small-size steel structures. The primary test parameter is the number of high-tension bolts which are used to connect steel beam and column using exterior and interior flange plates. Test results showed that the number of bolts had a significant effect on the cyclic behavior of beam-column weak-axis connections. From the analysis of test results, it is concluded that more than four bolts in the connections can satisfy the requirements of semi-rigid connection presented in current design codes. All of specimens showed the bearing failure around bolt holes and fracture at the beam flange. However, when the web height and the flange width is relatively small, the number of the bolts used in the connections might be limited. Thus, the additional research in this area is needed.