• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.61-70
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• 1999

Cracking was observed in beam-to-column connections of many steel building frames during the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe earthquakes. Thus extensive experimental researches are currently being conducted to improve the seismic performance of steel frames. A value of 0.015 radian was considered as a reasonable estimate of beam plastic rotation demand in steel moment-resisting frames subjected to severe earthquakes. The objective of this research is to develop a type of connection detail which moves the plastic hinge region in the beam away from the face of the column and can prevent cracking at the welded flange of the beam-to-column connection under seismic loading. An experimental investigation was undertaken on five beam-to-column connection specimens to study the performance of the connections with proposed details. The experiemental results showed that the flexural strength and rotational ductility of the beam connections were adequate for the seismic resistance steel frames to prevent possible cracks at the connections.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2006

This paper presents the results of a series of tests carried out on cold-formed steel rectangular hollow and concrete infilled beam to column connections and frames. A stub column was chosen such that overall buckling does not influence the connection behaviour. The beam chosen was a short-span cantilever with a concentrated load applied at the free end. The beam was connected to the columns along the strong and weak axes of columns and these connections were tested to failure. Twelve experiments were conducted on cold-formed steel direct welded tubular beam to column connections and twelve experiments on connections with concrete infilled column subjected to monotonic loading. In all the experiments conducted, the stiffness of the connection, the ductility characteristics and the moment rotation behaviour were studied. The dominant mode of failure in hollow section connections was chord face yielding and not weld failure. Provision of concrete infill increases the stiffness and the ultimate moment carrying capacity substantially, irrespective of the axis of loading of the column. Weld failure and bearing failure due to transverse compression occurred in connections with concrete infilled columns. Six single-bay two storied frames both with and without concrete infill, and columns loaded along the major and minor axes were tested to failure. Concentrated load was applied at the midspan of first floor beam. The change in behaviour of the frame due to provision of infill in the column and in the entire frame was compared with hollow frames. Failure of the weld at the junction of the beam occurred for frames with infilled columns. Design expressions are suggested for the yielding of the column face in hollow sections and bearing failure in infilled columns which closely predicted the experimental failure loads.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.345-354
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• 2016

In the present study, hybrid moment connections of welding and bar reinforcement for composite beam-column connections were proposed. Concrete-filled octagonal tube and U-section were used for the column and beam, respectively. In the beam-column connection, the top flange and web of the beam U-section were connected to the column plate by welding. However, to reduce stress concentration at the weld joints, the bottom flange of the beam was not welded to the column plate. Instead, to transfer the tension force of the beam flange, reinforcing bars passing through the column plate were used. Four exterior connections with conventional welded and hybrid moment connections were tested under cyclic loading and their cyclic behaviors were investigated. The test results showed that the hybrid moment connections successfully transferred the beam moment to the column. The strength and ductility of the hybrid moment connections were comparable to the conventional welded moment connection with exterior diaphragm; however, the connection performance was significantly affected by the details of the hybrid moment connection.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.263-275
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• 2014

In this study, connection of steel reinforced concrete(SRC) column and composite beam which consists of H-section and U-section members were tested under cyclic loading. An essential point of the composite beam is the structural performance of welded joint between the H-section and the U-section members. To improve the structural performance of joint of two beam members, vertical stiffeners, trapezoidal stiffeners, and top bars were used. Five full-scaled specimens were designed to study the effect of a number of parameters on cyclic performance of connections such as H-section beam size($H-500{\times}200{\times}10{\times}16$, $H-600{\times}200{\times}11{\times}17$), the presence of stiffeners and top bars, and the presence of no weld access hole(WAH) method. Based on the test results, deformation capacity of the specimens with H-500 series beam and H-600 series beam were 4% and 3% rotation angle, which is the requirement for the Special Moment Frame and Intermediate Moment Frame(IMF), respectively. Test result showed that deformation capacity of connection with stiffeners and top bars is greater than that of connection without stiffeners and top bars. Finally, energy dissipation capacity and strain profile of specimens were summarized.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.243-264
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• 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
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.385-396
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• 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
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.751-760
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• 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 Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.445-454
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• 2008

Based on previous research on steel moment connections, experimental and analytical results showed that the deformation capacity was poor in specimens using RHS columns and with conventional weld access holes and strain concentration at the end of beam is influenced by the efficiency in transmitting the moment in the web of beam through the beam-to-column joint. This paper is focused on the retrofitting of pre-Kobe steel moment frame connections using a stiffened RBS and a welded horizontal stiffener. These retrofitting methods were considered only in beam bottom flange. A parametric study was performed using nonlinear finite element analysis to elucidate and improve the retrofit methods of connections.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.10 no.4 s.37
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• pp.629-639
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• 1998

This paper summarizes the results of full-scale cyclic seismic performance tests on three column-tree type steel moment connections. Each test specimen consisted of a $H-600{\times}200$ beam and a $H-400{\times}400$ column of SS41 (SS400). Key parameter included was column PZ (panel zone) strength relative to beam strength. The seismic performance of specimen with stronger PZ tended to be inferior. Total plastic rotations available in the specimens ranged from 1.8 to 3.0 (% rad). The limited test results in this study seem to support the speculation that permitting PZ yielding shall be more beneficial to enhancing total plastic rotation capacity of the moment connection. Beam flange fracture across the heat affected zone and divot-type pullout of the column flange were observed in the tests. A conceptual mechanical model consistent with observed test results was also sought.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.9 no.4 s.33
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• pp.611-623
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• 1997

This paper provides the results of an experimental and analytical study performed on the beam to Concrete Filled Circular Steel Column connections with the external stiffener rings under the gravity loads. Specimens are modeled as a 1/4 scale of the beam-columns as gravity loads are applied to a multi-story frame. Important parameters in this study are the width of the external rings, the diameter-thickness ratios of column and whether or not the external rings are welded to the circular column. A total of 20 specimens are tested to clarify the structural behavior of the CFT column connections with the external stiffener rings. The test results are summarized for the yield and maximum strength and stiffness. The existing design equations for the allowable and yield load capacities are referred to verify the structural characteristics for the connections.