Keywords: beam-to-column, connection, T-stub, semi-rigid, steel structure.

In steel structures, a column connected to a beam is assumed rigid for efficient stress transmission between each component of the structure. In analyses and designs of structures, the connection parts of structures are assumed to have rigidity, that means the ability to provide stable rotations and deliver moment at panel points. In this paper a nearly semi-rigid unified T-stub that improves the rotation force by allowing a clearance width to the flange to promote the compression resistance force of the T-stub close to the rigid connection is proposed. In this study, connections were made using the unified T-stub, and repeated loading tests were conducted. The study examined the possibility of creating semi-rigid connections based on the test results by analysing and examining the moment-rotation angle relationships using the unified T-stub and by selecting the initial rigid influence factor.

The study, presented in this paper, verified the possibility of connections using the structurally improved T-stub. The beam-to-column connections are joined with the unified T-stub, and simple and repeated loading tests are carried out to measure the structural behaviour of the initial rigidities. The following conclusions are made in this study:

1. In the case of tests changing the high-strength bolt intervals, the magnitude of failure load is lower in wider intervals, whereas the strain rate is higher.
2. In the case of tests changing the high-strength bolt diameters, there is no difference to the magnitude of the breaking load or strain rate even though the diameters are increased.

It is therefore verified that bolt diameters are not important factors for improving the rigidity of these connections.

purchase the full-text of this paper (price £20)

go to the previous paper
go to the next paper
return to the table of contents
return to the book description
purchase this book (price £65 +P&P)