• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.5
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• pp.591-601
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• 2018

Non-moment beam-to-column connections, which are usually referred to as simple or shear connections, are typically designed to carry only gravity loads in the form of vertical shears. Although in the analysis of structures these connections are usually assumed to be pinned, they may provide a small amount of rotational stiffness due to the typical connection details. This paper investigates the effects of this small rotational restraint of simple beam-to-column connections on the behavior and seismic response of steel braced non-moment resisting frames. Two types of commonly used simple connections with bolted angles, i.e., the Double Web angle Connection (DWC) and Unstiffened Seat angle Connection (USC) are considered for this purpose. In addition to the pinned condition - as a simplified representation of these connections - more accurate semi-rigid models are established and then applied to some frame models subjected to nonlinear pushover and nonlinear time history analyses. Although the use of bracing elements generally reduces the sensitivity of the global structural response to the behavior of connections, the obtained results indicate considerable effects on the local responses. Namely, our results show that consideration of the real behavior of connections is essential in designing the column elements where the pin-connection assumption significantly underestimates design of outer columns of upper stories.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.271-280
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• 2010

This study was programmed to fabricate a beam-to-column connection that is limited to a steel-welded moment connection with full-scale members, using SN steel. A cyclic seismic test was conducted of the nine specimens that were fabricated by choosing the test variable for the weld access hole geometry, connection design method, and RBS. From the test results, failure modes, the moment-drift behavior, and the strain distribution were provided. From the specimen material properties, the beam's nominal plastic flexural capacity and classified qualified connection as a special moment flame were calculated. By analyzing the skeleton part and the baushinger part, a range of strength-raising effects, and deformation ratios were provided, with which the seismic performance of the specimens were evaluated. The test results showed that the specimens eliminated their weld access holes that demonstrated higher seismic performance than the specimens' existing weld access holes, and that the WUF-W connection that was reinforced by the supplemental fillet weld around the shear tap that was fastened by five bolts demonstrated superior seismic performance.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.18 no.3E
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• pp.199-205
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• 2006

The composite frame system with reinforced concrete column and steel beam can be improved in its structural efficiency by complementing the shortcomings of the two systems. The system, however, has many inherent problems in practical design and construction process due to the dissimilarities of the materials. Considering these circumstance, this research aims for the development of a composite structural system which connects the steel beams to the R/C columns with higher structural safety and economy. Basically, the proposed connection system is composed of four split tees, structural angles reinforced by a stiffener, high strength steel rods, connecting plates and shear plates. Structural tests have been carried out to investigate the moment transfer mechanism 1Tom the beam flange to steel rods or connecting plates through the structural angle reinforced by a stiffener. The four prototype specimens have been tested until the flange of the beam reached a plastic state. The test results indicated that no distinct material dissimilarities between concrete and steel have been detected for the proposed hybrid beam-column connection system and that the stress transfer through the structural angle between the beam flange and steel rods or connecting plates was very encouraging.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.385-397
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• 2017

Currently, CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) plate bonding is used quite extensively as a strengthening method. In this technique, a composite CFRP plate or sheet of relatively small thickness is bonded with an adhesion material to steel or concrete structure in order to improve its structural behavior and strength. The sheets or plates do not require much space and give a composite action between the adherents. In this study, the rotation capacity of CFRP-strengthened cold-formed steel (CFS) beams has been evaluated through numerical investigation. Studies on different structural levels have been performed. At the beam level, C-section has been adopted with different values of profile thickness, web height, and flange width. At the connection level, a web bolted moment resistant type of connection using through plate has been adopted. In web-bolted connections without CFRP strengthening, premature web buckling results in early loss of strength. Hence, CFRP sheets and plates with different mechanical properties and geometric configurations have been examined to delay web and flange buckling and to produce relatively high moment strength and rotation capacity. The numerical results reveal that CFRP strengthening may increase strength, initial stiffness, and rotation capacity when compared with the case without strengthening.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 2022

In the structural analysis of steel frames, joints are generally considered as rigid or hinged considering their moment transfer ability. However, the first studies conducted with the beginning of the 20th century showed that the joints do not actually fit these two definitions. In reality, a joint behaves between these two extreme points and is called semi-rigid. Including the actual state of the joint in the structural analysis provides significant economic advantages, so the subject is an intense field of study today. However, it does not find enough application area in practice. For this reason, a large-scale literature published from the first studies on the subject to the present has been examined within the scope of the study. Three important points have been identified in order to examine a joint realistically; modelling the load-displacement relationship, performing the structural analysis and how to design. Joint modelling methods were grouped under 7 main headings as analytical, empirical, mechanical, numerical, informational, hybrid and experimental. In addition to the moment-rotation, other important external load effects like axial force, shear and torsion were considered. Various evaluations were made to expand the practical application area of semi-rigid connections by examining analysis methods and design approaches. Dynamic behaviour was also included in the study, and besides column-beam connections, other important connection types such as beam-beam, column-beam-cross, base connection were also examined in this paper.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.403-421
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• 2008

The design provisions for semi-rigid steel frames have been incorporated in codes of practice for steel structures. In order to do the same, it is necessary to know the experimental moment-relative rotation (M-${\theta}_r$) behaviour of beam-to-column connections. In spite of numerous publications and collection of several connection databases, there is no unified approach for the semi-rigid design of steel frames. Amongst the many connection models available, the Frye-Morris polynomial model, with its limitations reported in the literature, is simple to adopt at least for the linear design space. However this model requires more number of connection tests and regression analyses to make it a realistic prediction model. In this paper, 3D nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis of beam-column connection specimens, carried out using ABAQUS software, for evaluating the M-${\theta}_r$ behaviour of semi-rigid top and seat-angle (TSA) bolted connections are described. The finite element model is validated against experimental behaviour of the same connection with regard to their moment-rotation behaviour, stress distribution and mode of failure of the connections. The calibrated FE model is used to evaluate the performance of the Frye-Morris polynomial model. The results of the numerical parametric studies carried out using the validated FE model have been used in proposing modifications to the Frye-Morris model for TSA connection in terms of the powers of the size parameters.

• 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.23 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 2017

This paper focuses on the seismic performance of pallet-type steel storage rack structures in their down aisle direction. As evidenced by experimental research, the seismic response of storage racks in the down-aisle direction is strongly affected by the nonlinear moment-rotation response of the beam-to-column connections. In their down-aisle direction, rack structures are designed to resist lateral seismic loads with typical moment frames utilizing proprietary beam-to-column moment-resisting connections. These connections are mostly boltless hooked type connections and they exhibit significantly large rotations resulting in large lateral frame displacements when subjected to strong ground motions. In this paper, typical hooked boltless beam-to-column connections are studied experimentally to obtain their non-linear reversed cyclic moment-rotation response. Additionally, a compound type connection involving the standard hooks and additional bolts were also tested under similar conditions. The simple introduction of the additional bolts within the hooked connection is considered to be a practical way of structural upgrade in the connection. The experimentally evaluated characteristics of the connections are compared in terms of some important performance indicators such as maximum moment and rotation capacity, change in stiffness and accumulated energy levels within the cyclic loading protocol. Finally, the obtained characteristics were used to carry out seismic performance assessment of rack frames incorporating the tested beam-to-column connections. The assessment involves a displacement based approach that utilizes a simple analytical model that captures the seismic behavior of racks in their down-aisle direction. The results of the study indicate that the proposed method of upgrading appears to be a very practical and effective way of increasing the seismic performance of hooked connections and hence the rack frames in their down-aisle direction.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.17 no.6 s.79
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• pp.689-697
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• 2005

Recent test results on reduced beam section (RBS) steel moment connections show that specimens with a bolted web connection tend to perform poorly due to premature brittle fracture of the beam flange at the weld access hole. A review of previous test results indicates that the higher incidence of base metal fracture in bolted-web specimens is related, at least in part, to the web bolt slippage and the high stress concentration at the weld access hole with the lowest material toughness. The practice of providing web bolts uniformly along the beam depth based on the classical beam theory is questioned in this paper. A new seismic design procedure, which is more consistent with the actual load path identified from the analytical and experimental studies, is proposed together with improved connection details. A test specimen designed following the proposed procedure exhibited a cyclic connection rotation capacity sufficient for special moment frames without fracture.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.200-207
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• 2003

The seismic behaviors of steel moment connections are investigated based on the numerical analysis of the connections with US and Japanese typical details. The rupture index, representing the fracture potential, is used to evaluate the ductility of the connections at the critical location. The results show that the presence of a slab increases the beam strength, imposes constraint near the beam top flange, and consequently, induces concentrated deformation near the beam access hall, which reduces the ductility of the connection. The total deformation capacity of the connection depends not only on a beam but also on a column and panel zone.