• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.467-484
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• 2015

Seismic performances of dual steel moment-resisting frames with mixed use of rigid and semi-rigid connections were investigated to control of the base shear, story drifts and the ductility demand of the elements. To this end, nonlinear seismic responses of three groups of frames with three, eight and fifteen story were evaluated. These frames with rigid, semi-rigid and combined configuration of rigid and semi-rigid connections were analyzed under five earthquake records and their responses were compared in ultimate limit state of rigid frame. This study showed that in all frames, it could be found a state of semi-rigidity and connections configuration which behaved better than rigid frame, with consideration of the base shear and story drifts criterion. Finally, some criteria were suggested to locate the best place of the semi-rigid connections for improvement of the seismic performance of steel moment-resisting frames.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.507-518
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• 2013

The seismic performance of six types of weak-axis steel moment connections was investigated through cyclic testing of six full-scale specimens. These weak-axis moment connections were the column-tree type, WUF-B type, FF-W type, WFP type, BFP-B type and DST type weak-axis connections. The testing results showed that each of these weak-axis connection types achieved excellent seismic performance, except the WFP and the WUF-B types. The WFP and WUF-B connections displayed poor seismic performance because a fracture appeared prematurely at the weld joint due to stress concentrations. The column-tree type connection showed the best seismic behavior such that the story drift ratio could reach 5%.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.221-231
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cyclic behavior of steel column-tree moment connections used in steel moment resisting frames. These connections are composed of shop-welded stub beam-to-column connection and field bolted beam-to-beam splice. In this study, the effects of beam splice length on the seismic performance of column-tree connections were experimentally investigated. The change of the beam splice location alters the bending moment and shear force at the splice, and this may affect the seismic performance of column-tree connections. Three full-scale test specimens of column-tree connections with the splice lengths of 900 mm, 1,100 mm, and 1,300 mm were fabricated and tested. The splice lengths were roughly 1/6, 1/7, 1/8 of the beam span length of 7,500 mm, respectively. The test results showed that all the specimens successfully developed ductile behavior without brittle fracture until 5% radians story drift angle. The maximum moment resisting capacity of the specimens showed little differences. The specimen with the splice length of 1,300 mm showed better bolt slip resistance than the other specimens due to the smallest bending moment at the beam splice.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.249-258
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• 2006

In this paper, deformation capacity of steel moment connections with RHS column was investigated. Initially, non-linear finite element analysis of five bate steel beam models was conducted. The models were designed to have different detail at their beam-to-column connection, so that the flexural moment capacity was different respectively. Analysis results showed 4hat the moment transfer efficiency of the analytical model with RHS-column was poor when comparing to model with WF(Wide flnage)-column due to out-of-plane deformation of the RHS-column flange. The presence of scallop and thin plate of RHS column was also a reason of the decrease of moment transfer efficiency, which would result in a potential fracture of tile steel beam-to-column connections. Further test on beam-to-column connections with RHS column revealed that the moment transfer efficiency of a beam web decreased due to the out-of-plane deformation of column flange, which led to premature failure of the connection.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1215-1237
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• 2015

The majority of connections in moment resisting frames are considered as being fully-rigid. Consequently, the real behavior of the connection, which has some level of flexibility, is ignored. This may result in inaccurate predictions of structural response. This study investigates the influence of flexibility of the extended end-plate connections in the steel moment frames. This is done at two levels. First, the actual micro-behavior of extended end-plate moment connections is explored with respect to joint flexibility. Then, the macro-behavior of frames with end-plate moment connections is investigated using modal, nonlinear static pushover and incremental dynamic analyses. In all models, the P-Delta effects along with material and geometrical nonlinearities were included in the analyses. Results revealed considerable differences between the behavior of the structural frame with connections modeled as fully-rigid versus those when flexibility was incorporated, specifically difference occurred in the natural periods, strength, and maximum inter-story drift angle.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2014

This study presents an experimental study of the structural behavior for steel plate-concrete column-to-steel girder connections. Experiments were carried out to investigate the moment-rotation characteristics, failure behavior and ultimate moment capacity of these connections. The results of this experimental study involving three welded moment-resisting connections subjected to cyclic loading are presented. The specimens were fabricated at full scale to evaluate their hysteretic behavior. A description of the test specimens, the details of the joint, the test system and the testing methods are described. The test results showed that the structural behavior of these composite connections was influenced by the connection details.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.441-458
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• 2001

We analyzed the experimental and theoretical behavior of a particular type of steel joint designed to connect beam to beam and able to transfer both shear forces and bending moments. This joint is characterized by the use of steel plates and bolts enclosed in the width of the beams. The experimental investigation was carried out characterizing the constituent materials and testing in flexure beams constituted by two portions of beams connected in the middle with the joint proposed. Connections having different characteristics in terms of thickness of plates, number and type of bolts were utilized. Flexure tests allow one to determine the loaddeflection curves of the beam tested and the moment-rotation diagrams of the connections, highlighting the strength and the strain capacity of the joints. The proposed analytical model allows one to determine the moment-rotation relationship of the connections, pointing out the influence of the principal geometrical and mechanic characteristics of single constituents on the full properties of the joint.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.8 no.3 s.28
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• pp.127-137
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• 1996

Connections as basic elements and an integrated part of a steel frame has an effect on the frame's performance. Conventional analysis and design techniques are based on either idealized fixed or pinned conditions. In fact, the use of rigid or pinned connection model in steel frame analysis serves the purpose of simplifying the analysis and design processes, but all connections used in current pratice possess stiffness and transfer moment which fall between the extreme cases of fully rigid and ideally pinned. To predict the behavior of the semi-rigid steel frames, it is necessary to predict the moment-rotation behavior of the beam-to-column connections. In this research, prediction equation for moment-rotation behavior of the beam-to-column connection is suggested and the effect of design parameters has investigated. Prediction model, in a nondimensional form shows the moment-rotation characteristic for connections. It is composed of the curve fitting power function using standardization constant K and 4 parameter $KM_o$, ${\theta}_0$, b, n based on the pretest result about moment-rotation behavior of connection.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.16 no.5 s.72
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• pp.695-703
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• 2004

In this paper, the results of monotonic loading analysis with four steel models and one composite model were shown. The effect that moment transfer efficiency of a web and strain concentration at a steel beam-to-column connections was investigated. Analysis results showed that the moment transfer efficiency of the analytical model with box-column was poor when comparing to model with H-column due to out-of-plane deformation of the box-column flange. The presence of scallop, thin plate of box column and floor slabs was also a reason of the decrease of moment transfer efficiency, which would result in a potential fracture of the steel beam-to-column connections. Analytical results were compared with experimental results based on previous test. As a result, the deformation capacity of connections with a box-column or a floor slab decreased due to the poor moment transfer efficiency and the strain concentration of beam flange in the vicinity of the steel beam-to-column connections based on the experimental data.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1251-1264
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• 2016

After observing relatively poor performance of bolted web-welded flange beam-to-column connections during 1994 Northridge earthquake, various types of connections based on two concepts of: (i) strengthening the connection; and (ii) weakening the beam ends were proposed. Among these modified or newly proposed connections, bolted T-stub connection follows the concept of strengthening. One of the connections with the idea of weakening the beam ends is reduced beam section (RBS). In this paper, finite element simulation is used to study the cyclic behavior of a new proposed connection developed by using a combination of both mentioned concepts. Investigated connections are exterior beam-to-column connections designed to comply with AISC provisions. The results show that moment capacity and dissipated energy of the new proposed connection is almost the same as those computed for a T-stub connection and higher than corresponding values for an RBS connection.