Experimental Investigation On Flange Bolted-Welded Connection For Steel Frame
Experimental Investigation On Flange Bolted-Welded Connection For Steel Frame
Experimental Investigation On Flange Bolted-Welded Connection For Steel Frame
Abstract—This paper proposes a new type of splice joint, named weak point in the beam element, which modifies the ductility
flange bolted-welded hybrid joint, which is designed to splice I- of the connection but may be vulnerable to stress
shape beam to facilitate the construction of industrialized concentration at the beam web and then decreases moment
buildings. The flange, welded with the bottom beam flange as well capacity significantly[2]-[5] . As the modified measure,
as the web close to bottom flange, are jointed by high strength HoomanFarrokhi[6]. proposed drilled holes at cover plates to
bolts. Stiffening plate is welded at top of the flange while create an intentional weak point, while it seems to be less
downhand welding and high strength friction grip bolts are used efficient. In addition, J.M.Ricles[7]-[9]have developed a
for the top beam flange and the beam web, respectively. The posttensioned(PT) steel moment connection with bolted top
connection reduces the construction period and costs. In this and seat angles for seismic resistant MRFs. Constantin
paper, monotonic and reversed cyclic loading tests were Christopoulos[10]conducted a cyclic test on a large-scale
conducted on three full-scale specimens of this innovative joint, to exterior beam-to-column PT connection. The connection
investigate its load-bearing capacity, energy-dissipating capacity avoids field welding, reduces beam damage, and eliminates
and failure modes. The results indicate that the joint has high residual drift, but increases the difficulty of installation due to
load-bearing capacity and great ductility. The failure mode is due its complex details. As for reinforced connections, a variety of
to the slippage of flange bolts as well as the gap development
methods have been used to reinforce connections in hopes of
between the two flange plates. The experimental studies enabled
improvement of the design of the connection to be used in
achieving large cyclic plastic rotations before connection
moment-resisting steel frame structures. failure happens[11]-[13] . While promising better performance,
the reinforced connections have also experienced failures in
Keywords-flange bolted-welded hybrid joint; monotonic testp; cyclic laboratory tests, and introduce potential new problems.
test; finite element analysis In a word, the efforts concentrate on the improvements in
welding and modifications to the connection design. Though
I. INTRODUCTION
the joints with modifications achieved better seismic behavior,
Beam-to-beam and beam-to-column connections have been these modification details of the joints are relative complex
found to have a great influence on structural behavior. Now and time-consuming in fabrication. It should be noted that the
the traditional connections, such as welded, bolted and high level of industrialization will have great impact on project
welded-bolted hybrid connection, are widely adopted for their costs because of the growing labor price. Therefore, the
better mechanical properties. However, the welded and bolted connection with both good energy dissipation capacity and
joints have some drawbacks. Take the welded joint as an modern construction technology should be designed and
example, improper welding practice, poor workmanship would studied. As a result, a new type of connection, named flange
result in some yield strength variations of the material and bolted-welded connection, is designed in aiming at
brittle fractures, which could strengthen the high stress accelerating construction speed, improving joint behavior and
concentration[1]. As a result, strict quality control measures satisfying construction of industrialized buildings.
should be taken to prevent the unexpected failure of welded
connection. That means a relative high cost of labor force and Based on these defects, the proposed joint, named flange
long installation period. In recent years, the attention of bolted-welded joint, aims to enhance the seismic behavior as
connection flexibility and its effects on the behavior of steel well as convenient installation. The flange bolted-welded
structure has been paid gradually by researchers. Therefore, a splice connection, as an improvement on column-tree
lot of improved joint details have been proposed in two connection, didn't fail owing to welding fracture because of its
aspects. One is to reduce the stress concentration of the joint reasonable force transfer mechanism.
zone and the other is to move the plastic hinge away from the The flange, welded with the bottom beam flange as well as
beam-to-column connection region. Specifically, two key the web close to bottom flange, are jointed by high strength
concepts have been developed to provide shifting of plastic bolts. A stiffening rib is welded at top of the flange while
hinge: reduced beam section connection and reinforced downhand welding and high strength friction grip bolts are
connections. A reduced beam section is proposed to create a used for the top beam flange and the beam web,
A-A
5M max
t≥
f (1)
FIGURE III. PHOTOGRAPH OF TEST SETUP
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The test procedure of specimen SPJ1-1 was divided into with the slippage of the flange bolts. Afterwards, when load
two different phases: the preloading phase and the loading was reversed, two flanges stayed close again after the gap
phase. In the preloading phase, all the measurement channels elimination. So the total displacement of the beam end
were scanned to record the initial readings before any loads contained the displacement brought about by the gap closing
were applied. Then, the loads were increased by 10 kN and process. In addition, the contact action between two flanges
then decreased to zero. In the loading phase, the force control was so strong that made the displacement relatively small
mode was adopted, with load increments of 40 kN from 40kN under downward load. Therefore, the displacements of the two
to failure. The specimen SPJ2-1 and SPJ2-2 were tested by direction weren't symmetrical, manifesting the different
force-displacement control mode during their cyclic loading response and capacity for the positive and negative moment of
procedure. From the load-displacement curve recorded during the beam, which comply with design principle of the joint. It
the monotonic test, the limit of elastic range Fy and the can also be seen from figure 8 that the positive and negative
corresponding displacement △y may be deduced. ultimate moment capacity reached to 261.3kN.m and 345kN.m,
respectively. Compared to the bending moment design value,
C. Results and Discussion the joint behaved better performance of bearing capacity.
SPJ1-1 was applied monotonic downward load. The observed
failure modes of ultimate load are illustrated in Fig.4 . It was As discussed above, the flange interfaces were alternately
found that the shear deformation occurred at column-beam subjected to separation and contact condition, which made the
connection region accompanied by the buckling of stiffening flange bolts loosing tightness. At last, the specimen failed
rib. The reason is that the bottom part of beam flanges are because of the nut slippage and then collapse.
linked by flange plate, which could transfer pressure owing to 400
their tightly contact and compression action under downward 300
200
loading. This action is so strong that the beam splice part had
100 M=146
no obvious deformation as well as rotational angle.
Moment(kN.m)
0
-100 -75 -50 -25 0 25 50 75 100 125 150
-100
SPJ2-1 and SPJ2-2 were experienced cyclic loading process M=116
-200
and the two specimens behaved similarly. Take SPJ2-2 as an -300
example to comment on the experiment. When cyclic loading -400
P up to ±180 kN, the gap between two flanges connecting the -500
bottom beam appeared. In the next cycle, the nuts of the web -600
Rotation angle(mrad)
bolts slip slightly, with the bottom flange gap reaching to 13
mm. At this load stage, the haunched support at beam-column FIGURE V. MOMENT-ROTATION ANGLE CURVES OF SPJ2-2
connection part buckled coupled with shear deformation at
beam-column connection. The gap between the flanges was III. CONCLUSION
gradually enlarged with the increase of load, which brought Based on the numerical and experimental investigations
about the slippage of the flange bolts. The specimen lost its performed on full-scale connection models the following
bearing capacity due to the falling off of the nuts at last. The conclusions can be made:
ultimate displacement of the beam end was 120 mm.
(1) The specimens under cyclic loading failed with the
complete loss of pretension. As the important component of
the joint, the splice flanges transferred the moment effectively
through the strong contact action between the two flanges .
(2) Under the monotonic loading, the thickness of the
flange plates significantly affect the stiffness and the moment
capacity of the connection and hence shall be dimensioned
precisely to fulfill the design demands. Moreover, the ultimate
moment capacity of the connection increases with the steel
strength.
The proposed connection can not only facilitate the rapid
FIGURE IV. FAILURE MODES OBTAINED FROM TESTS construction and industrialization, but meet requirements for
resistance for moment frames. Furthermore research, however,
The hysteretic curve is plotted in Fig.5 , which also is recommended to employ to explore the joint response with
displayed bending moment design value of the joint, as the bigger size of beams and columns.
horizontal line indicated. Rotation angle is defined as the
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