• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.147-160
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• 2002

This paper summarises results of the research performed at the Department of Steel Structures and Structural Mechanics from the "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Romania, in order to evaluate the performance of beam-to-column extended end plate connections for steel and composite joints. It comprises laboratory tests on steel and composite joints, and numerical modelling of joints, based on tests. Tested joints are double-sided, with structural elements realised of welded steel sections. The columns are of cruciform cross-section, while the beams are of I section. Both monotonic and cyclic loading, symmetrically and antisymmetrically, has been applied. On the basis of tested joints, a refined computer model has been calibrated using a special connection element of the computer code DRAIN 2DX. In this way, a static/dynamic structural analysis of framed structures with real characteristics of the beam to column joints is possible.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2017

Stainless steel exhibits high ductility and strain hardening capacity in comparison with carbon steel widely used in constructions. To analyze the particular behaviour of stainless steel cover-plate joints, an experimental study was conducted. It showed large ductility and complex failure modes of the joints. A non-linear finite element model was developed to predict the main parameters influencing the behaviour of these joints. The results of this deterministic model allow us to built a meta-model by using the quadratic response surface method, in order to allow for efficient reliability analysis. This analysis is then applied to the assessment of design formulae in the currently used codes of practice. The reliability analysis has shown that the stainless steel joint design according to Eurocodes leads to much lower failure probabilities than the Eurocodes target reliability for carbon steel, which incites revising the resisting model evaluation and consequently reducing stainless steel joint costs. This approach can be used as a basis to evaluate a wide range of steel joints involving complex failure modes, particularly bearing failure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.361-372
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• 2019

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the research and development of high-strength steel plates, with particular emphasis on the enhancement of the seismic resistance of buildings and bridges. Many efforts have also been undertaken to improve the properties of high-strength bolts and weld materials. However, there are still different opinions on steel joints that combine high-strength bolts and fillet welds. Therefore, it is necessary to verify the design specifications and guidelines, especially for newly developed 1,400-MPa high-strength bolts, 570-MPa steel plates, and weld materials. This paper presents the results of literature reviews and experimental investigations. Test parameters include bolt strengths, weld orientations, and their combinations. The results show that advances in steel materials have increased the plastic deformation capacities of steel welds. That allows combination joints to gain their maximum strength before the welds have fracture failures. When in combination with longitudinal welds, high-strength bolts slip, come in contact with cover plates, and develop greater bearing strength before the joints reach their maximum strength. However, in the case of combinations with transverse welds, changes in crack angles cause the welds to provide additional strength. The combination joints can therefore develop strength greater than estimated by adding the strength of bolted joints in proportion to those of welded joints. Consequently, using the slip resistance as the available strength of high-strength bolts is recommended. That ensures a margin of safety in the strength design of combination joints.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.143-162
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• 2019

A number of desirable characteristics concerning excellent durability, aesthetics, recyclability, high ductility and fire resistance have made stainless steel a preferred option in engineering practice. However, the relatively high initial cost has greatly restricted the application of stainless steel as a major structural material in general construction. This drawback can be partially overcome by introducing composite stainless steel-concrete structures, which provides a cost-efficient and sustainable solution for future stainless steel construction. This paper presents a preliminary numerical study on stainless steel-concrete composite beam-to-column joints with bolted flush endplates. In order to ensure a consistent corrosion resistance within the whole structural system, all structural steel components were designed with austenitic stainless steel, including beams, columns, endplates, bolts, reinforcing bars and shear connectors. A finite element model was developed using ABAQUS software for composite beam-to-column joints under monotonic and symmetric hogging moments, while validation was performed based on independent test results. A parametric study was subsequently conducted to investigate the effects of several critical factors on the behaviour of composite stainless steel joints. Finally, comparisons were made between the numerical results and the predictions by current design codes regarding the plastic moment capacity and the rotational stiffness of the joints. It was concluded that the present codes of practice generally overestimate the rotational stiffness and underestimate the plastic moment resistance of stainless steel-concrete composite joints.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.99-108
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• 1996

The microstructure and bond strength are examined on the SiC/SiC and SiC/mild steel joints brazed by the Ag-Ti based alloys with different Ti contents. In the SiC/SiC brazed joints, the thickness of the reaction layers at the bond interface and the Ti particles in the brazing alloy matrices increase with Ti contents. When Ti is added up to 9 at% in the brazing alloy. $Ti_3SiC_2$ phase in addition to TiC and $Ti_5Si_3$ phase is newly created at the bond interface and TiAg phase is produced from peritectic reaction in the brazing alloy matrix. In the SiC/mild steel joints brazed with different Ti contents, the microstructure at the bond interface and in the brazing alloy matrix near SiC varies similarly to the case of SiC/SiC brazed joints. But, in the brazing alloy matrix near the mild steel, Fe-Ti intermetallic compounds are produced and increased with Ti contents. The bond strengths of the SiC/SiC and SiC/mild steel brazed joints are independent on Ti contents in the brazing alloy. There are no large differences of the bond strength between SiC/SiC and SiC/mild steel brazed joints. In the SiC/mild steel brazed joints, Fe dissolved from the mild steel does not affect on the bond strength of the joints. Thermal contraction of the mild steel has nearly no effects on the bond strength due to the wide brazing gap of specimens used in the four-point bend test. The brazed joints has the average bond strength of about 200 MPa independently on Ti contents, Fe dissolution and joint type. Fracture in four-point bend test initiates at the interface between SiC and TiC reaction layer and propagates through SiC bulk. The adhesive strength between SiC and TiC reaction layer seems to mainly control the bond strength of the brazed joints.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 2015

The load transfer mechanism and load-bearing capacity of cast steel joints for H-shaped beam to square tube column connection are studied based on the deformation compatibility theory. Then the monotonic tensile experiments are conducted for 12 specimens about the cast steel joints for H-shaped beam to square tube column connection. The findings are that the tensile bearing capacity of the cast steel joints for beam-column connection depends on the ring of cast steel stiffener. The tensile fracture happens at the ring of the cast steel stiffener when the joint fails. The thickness of square tube column has little influence on the bearing capacity of the joint. The square tube column buckles while the joint without concrete filled, but the strength failure happens for the joint with concrete filled column. And the length of welding connection between square tube column and cast steel stiffener has little influence on the load-bearing capacity of the cast steel joint. Finally it is shown that the load-bearing capacity of the joints for H-shaped beam to concrete filled square tube column connection is larger than that of the joints for H-shaped beam to square tube column connection by 10% to 15%.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1561-1580
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• 2015

No significant improvement has been observed on the seismic performance of the ordinary steel reinforced concrete (SRC) columns compared with the reinforced concrete (RC) columns mainly because I, H or core cross-shaped steel cannot provide sufficient confinement for core concrete. Two improved SRC columns by constructing with new-type section steel were put forward on this background: a cross-shaped steel whose flanges are in contact with concrete cover by extending the geometry of webs, and a rotated cross-shaped steel whose webs coincide with diagonal line of the column's section. The advantages of new-type SRC columns have been proved theoretically and experimentally, while construction measures and seismic behavior remain unclear when the new-type columns are joined onto SRC beams. Seismic behavior of SRC joints with new-type section steel were experimentally investigated by testing 5 specimens subjected to low reversed cyclic loading, mainly including the failure patterns, hysteretic loops, skeleton curves, energy dissipation capacity, strength and stiffness degradation and ductility. Effects of steel shape, load angel and construction measures on seismic behavior of joints were also analyzed. The test results indicate that the new-type joints display shear failure pattern under seismic loading, and steel and concrete of core region could bear larger load and tend to be stable although the specimens are close to failure. The hysteretic curves of new-type joints are plumper whose equivalent viscous damping coefficients and ductility factors are over 0.38 and 3.2 respectively, and this illustrates the energy dissipation capacity and deformation ability of new-type SRC joints are better than that of ordinary ones with shear failure. Bearing capacity and ductility of new-type joints are superior when the diagonal cross-shaped steel is contained and beams are orthogonal to columns, and the two construction measures proposed have little effect on the seismic behavior of joints.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.337-352
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• 2021

The study presented experimental and numerical investigation on the seismic performance of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) L-shaped column- reinforced concrete (RC) beam joints. Various parameters described as steel configuration form, axial compressive ratio, loading angle, and the existence of slab were examined through 4 planar joints and 7 spatial joints. The characteristics of the load-displacement response included the bearing capacity, ductility, story drift ratio, energy-dissipating capacity, and stiffness degradation were analyzed. The results showed that shear failure and flexural failure in the beam tip were observed for planar joints and spatial joint, respectively. And RC joint with slab failed with the plastic hinge in the slab and bottom of the beam. The results indicated that hysteretic curves of spatial joints with solid-web steel were plumper than those with hollow-web specimens. The capacity of planar joints was higher than that of space joints, while the opposite was true for energy-dissipation capacity and ductility. The high compression ratio contributed to the increase in capacity and initial stiffness of the joint. The elastic and elastic-plastic story deformation capacity of L-shaped column frame joints satisfied the code requirement. A design formula of joint shear resistance based on the superposition theory and equilibrium plasticity truss model was proposed for engineering application.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.495-508
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• 2018

In this paper, cyclic loading tests on composite frame inner joints of steel-reinforced recycled concrete (SRRC) column-steel beam were conducted. The main objective of the test was to obtain the shear behavior and analyze the shear strength of the joints. The main design parameters in the test were recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement percentage and axial compression ratio. The failure process, failure modes, hysteresis curves and strain characteristics of the joints were obtained, and the influences of design parameters on the shear strength of the joints have been also analysed in detail. Results show that the failure modes of the joints area are typical shear failure. The shear bearing capacity of the joints maximally decreased by 10.07% with the increase in the RCA replacement percentage, whereas the shear bearing capacity of the joints maximally increased by 16.6% with the increase in the axial compression ratio. A specific strain analysis suggests that the shear bearing capacity of the joints was mainly provided by the three shear elements of the recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) diagonal compression strut, steel webs and stirrups of the joint area. According to the shear mechanism and test results, the calculation formulas of the shear bearing capacity of the three main shear elements were deduced separately. Thus, the calculation model of the shear bearing capacity of the composite joints considering the adverse effects of the RCA replacement percentage was established through a superposition method. The calculated values of shear strength based on the calculation model were in good agreement with the test values. It indicates that the calculation method in this study can reasonably predict the shear bearing capacity of the composite frame inner joints of SRRC column-steel beam.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.826-830
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• 2002

In the civil engineering and architecture fields, welding for large sectional members, such as I section steel and H section steel, are usually performed. a flash welding system, by which large I section steel or H section steel can be welded for a short time, was newly developed. In order to know the basic characteristics of welded joints, the specimens were cut out from flash welded joints, and tensile and fatigue experiments were carried out. The joint efficiency of welded joints by flash welding is 100% for the specimens with reinforcements and 93% for without reinforcements. The fatigue strength of welded joints with reinforcement was about 50% of that of the base metal. Removing the reinforcement generated by flash welding, fatigue strength of flash welded joints became 75% of that of the base metal. In case of flash welded joints with reinforcements, after a couple of fatigue cracks had propagated, ductile fracture occurred at the toe. In flash welded joints without reinforcements, fracture occurred at the bond or at HAZ (Heat Affected Zone). In case of fracture at the bond, fracture was brittle, and in case at HAZ, fracture was ductile.