Finite element analysis of composite beam-

to-column connection with cold-formed steel

section
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 1903, 020024 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5011504
Published Online: 14 November 2017

Muhammad Firdaus, Anis Saggaff, and Mahmood Md Tahir

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© 2017 Author(s).
 Finite Element Analysis of Composite Beam-to-Column
Connection with Cold-Formed Steel Section
Muhammad Firdaus 1,a), Anis Saggaff 2,b) and Mahmood Md Tahir 3,c)
1
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia
2
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, UniversitasSriwijaya, Indonesia
3
UTM Construction Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering, UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor
Bahru, Malaysia
a)
Corresponding author: [email protected]
b)
[email protected]
c)
[email protected]

Abstract. Cold-formed steel (CFS) sections are well known due to its lightweight and high structural performance which
is very popular for building construction. Conventionally, they are used as purlins and side rails in the building envelopes
of the industrial buildings. Recent research development on cold-formed steel has shown that the usage is expanded to
the use in composite construction. This paper presents the modelling of the proposed composite connection of beam-to-
column connection where cold-formed steel of lipped steel section is positioned back-to-back to perform as beam.
Reinforcement bars is used to perform the composite action anchoring to the column and part of it is embedded into a
slab. The results of the finite element and numerical analysis has showed good agreement. The results show that the
proposed composite connection contributes to significant increase to the moment capacity.

INTRODUCTION
The use of construction materials, especially for middle rise building leads to more environment friendly
material, easy to transport, fast in installation and anti-termite. The main criteria that must be met among others,
highest strength-to-weight ratios, consistency in size and dimension, and it is not from organic material. Cold
formed steel (CFS) is one of the most developed and reliable as an alternative material such as hot-rolled steel and
wood. The thickness between 1.9-3.2 mm gives a large contribution to the strength-to-weight ratios. The yield
strength about 350-450, even for some cases 550 MPa [1]. CFS can be categorized as slim profile or slender section,
generally has only one axis of symmetry. This feature is prone to premature failure, local buckling, and torsional
buckling [2]. In addition, as long as the CFS has economic potential and generates better construction, the use of
CFS could be more popular and convincing than the hot rolled section in composite connection. However, the use of
CFS is still limited to low-risk building with short span. Overall, CFS only used as an alternative for timber material
that commonly used for wall partition, purlin and roof truss. The connection is relatively simple and only to resist
the compressive and tensile forces.
Connections are usually designed as pinned (moments= 0) which associated with simple construction or rigid
(rotation= 0) which is associated with continuous construction. However, the actual behaviour falls between these
two extreme cases. The use of partial strength or semi-rigid connections (moment and rotation z 0) has been
encouraged by codes and studies on the matter known as semi-continuous construction have proven that substantial
savings in steel weight of the overall construction. Composite connection is introduced in this paper to improve the
performance of partial strength connection. The objective of this paper is to propose and model an innovative
connection for cold-formed beam-column connection designed as composite connection.
Classification of the moment and strength of the connection is very much depends on whether the connection is
simple, semi-rigid, or rigid (Fig.1). The initial stiffness of the connection is obtained from the slope of the straight

Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Construction and Building Engineering (ICONBUILD) 2017
AIP Conf. Proc. 1903, 020024-1–020024-8; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5011504
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020024-1
line of the moment-rotation curve. This curve is obtained from a full-scale experimental test. However, to establish
the behaviour and performance of all connections with by experimental tests could be very expensive and time
consuming.

Momen Full
strength
Moment capacity of beam
Mcx
Partial
strength
Ductility
boundary
Sj,initial

0.25Mcx
Simple
20 – 30 mRad Rotation, I
FIGURE 1. Moment-rotation curve

Alternatively, finite element method (FEA) can be used. Some of the previous studies discussing semi-rigid
connections through full-scale and FEA tests ( [3]; [4]; [5]; [6]), it has been proven that FEA is reliable as a
coMParator and predictor for a full-scale test. In addition, EC3 [7] provides guidance for design semi-rigid
connection with component method. It is a mechanical approach by separating the connection into individual
components based on stiffness and internal force (shear, tensile or compressive forces). However, EC3 does not
provide the information procedure to calculate the stiffness of gusset plate connection [8].
From the research of the non-composite CFS connection, Tan has concluded that gusset plate connection
provides the highest moment capacity coMPared to flange cleat and web cleat connection [9]. Bucmis and Daniunas
[8] has stated that one convenient way to connect between beams and columns is gusset plate. In this paper, the
connection media between columns to beam is hot rolled steel gusset plate, the moment rotation performance of the
connection under monotonic loading is studied.

MATERIAL AND METHODE

The proposed CFS beam to column composite connections (Fig. 2a) is chosen by considering its function as a
part of medium-rise buildings. To obtain the moment rotation curve, the analysis method was used are FEA and
component method adopted from EC3 (EN 1993-1-1-8 2005) and will be explained in the next chapter. The section
of double lipped channel back to back with yield strength 450 MPa is used for beams and columns with dimensions
as shown in Fig. 2b. The gusset plate thickness 6 mm with grade S275. M12 bolts with G8.8 used as fasteners
between gusset plate and beam column, and placed in accordance with the minimum and maximum distance allowed
by EC3. The distance of bolts is e1 = 50 mm, e2 = 50 mm, p1 = 200 mm, p2 = 103 mm, Bg = 306 mm and
Lg = 600 mm.
The dimension of concrete slab is 100 mm thickness and 750 mm width and compressive strength fc = 30 MPa.
Wire mesh I6-150 and I12 anchor reinforcement embedded with concrete cover of 30 mm, both of yield strength
material used are 240 MPa. Metal decking thickness of 0.75 mm with rib spacing of 350 mm is used as a permanent
formwork. Shear connector M12 G8.8 is placed on the top flange of the beam and the distance between the shear
connector according to a rib of metal decking.

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 Beam
L=19
t=1.9
D=203

B=76

Column
L=27.5
t=2.4
D=300

B=96

(a) Cold-formed composite connection configuration (b) Double lipped channel profile
FIGURE 2. Proposed cold-formed composite connection

Steel is a ductile material, when applied load under yield stress (Vy), elastic deformation could occur and the
elastic modulus can be obtained from the slope of the straight line on the stress-strain curve. If the yield stress is
exceeded, plastic deformation could occur and the yield stress increases until the ultimate tensile stress limit (Vu) is
reached. In this paper, the steel grade materials used as shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1. Steel material properties
Vy Vu Ei Et
Elements
MPa MPa MPa MPa
Beam, column 450 480 2.05+E5 205
Gusset plate 275 430 2.05+E5 205
Wiremesh 240 400 2.05+E5 205
Rebar 240 400 2.05+E5 205
Bolt,shear connector 640 800 2.05+E5 205
Metal decking 405 480 2.05+E5 205

Finite Element Modelling

Ansys program was used to simulate non-linear responses of structures. As shown Fig.3a, the gravity loading
due to self-weight of structure is applied, the incremental loading is given at 1 meter from the face of the column.
Unrestrained condition is applied at the end of the beam as well as cantilever beams, the main purpose is to obtain
the structural responses in the form of moment-rotation curves. The column height is 3 meters and fixed supported
at its base. To resist lateral movement, at the upper end of the front flange column is restrained by roller support.
The frictional contact is applied for beams, columns, bolt shanks and gusset plate. The contact for material
embedded in the concrete (wire mesh, anchor reinforcement, shear connector) and contact area between metal
decking to the top of beam flange are used and is assumed not to slip. Therefore, bonded contact is selected in order
to represent the composite behaviour. The U shape of anchor reinforcement (Fig.3b) serves as reinforcement in
tension zone and placed as close as possible around the column, in order to enable the transfer of load into the
column without excessive slip, deformations and cracking [10].

020024-3
 Rolled support

Anchor reinforcement

Fixed support

(a) Load and boundary condition (b) Anchor reinforcement position

FIGURE. 3. Isometric view of finite element models

Parametric Analysis
The capacity of the proposed connections configuration (Fig. 4a) is calculated according to EC3-1-8 [7] and
EC4-1-1 [11]. In this research, each connected component contributes according to its function are: 1) The bolt
capacity (bearing capacity and shear capacity) of the gusset plate; 2) The bolt capacity (bearing capacity and shear
capacity) of CFS; 3) The moment resistance of the gusset plate, which is the minimum value of the moment
resistance buckling of gusset plate and bolt group; 4) The moment resistance of anchor reinforcement; 5) The total
moment resistance, which is the sum of the moment capacity of gusset plate and the anchor reinforcement. The
classification of the connection is determined by the initial rotational stiffness of the connection (Sj, ini). In this
case, this value depends on the component involved in the joint connection: 1) The components of the tensile
reinforcement in the concrete slab; 2) The shear strength and bearing strength of the bolt; 3) The column web in the
compression; 4) The column web panel in shear. For composite connections, following components were identified
as shown in Fig. 4b, the values of k can be referred in EC3.

Tension zone : ks,r

Anchorage of
Reinforcement

1 1 1
Vertical shear : k11 k12b k12g TjMj
1. Bolts in shear
2. Bolts in bearing 2 2 2
k11 k12c k12g
Compression zone k1 k2
Column web in
compression
Horizontal shear :
Column web panel shear
(a) Component of connection (b) Spring models of connection
FIGURE 4. Element stiffness connection contribution

020024-4
 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
For the first method, the finite element non-linear analysis was conducted by involving non-linear material
properties and the structural responses were obtained by applying the "Large deflection” feature in Ansys. Von
mises yield criteria was used to find out the stress distribution and concentration in the elements. The stress
distribution of von mises of the joint is shown in Fig. 5a. It's clearly visible the maximum stress concentration
occurs in the bolt hole of the beam (notation A) with a value of 503 MPa. At the column position the maximum
stress occurring in the bolt hole located near the compression zone (notation B), the maximum stress is 490 MPa.
Both values exceeded the yield stress of cold formed steel 450 MPa. The maximum stress of the bolt occurs in a
position corresponding to the maximum stress in the bolt hole of the beam. The von mises stress is 525 MPa means
the bolt is still in an elastic condition (less than 640 MPa), it can be concluded the cold form steel yielded first. The
maximum stress distribution of gusset plate generally occurs in the compression zone as indicated in Fig.5b. At the
upper position of gusset plate, most of the stress still in the range of elastic limit due to the contribution of the
concrete slab. The maximum stress is 288 MPa (notation C) exceeds the yield stress of the gusset plate (275 MPa).

C
A

B
(a) Von mises of a solved connection (b) Von mises of gusset plate
FIGURE 5. Finite element analysis result

Concrete material is strong in compression but not able to resist direct tension. In tension zone, even if the
concrete is cracks, the connection resistance is provided by anchor reinforcement located at the upper part of the
steel connection. Fig. 6 shows the connection with the hidden mode of the concrete slab. The finite element result
shows that the reinforcement is still in elastic condition with tension stress 130 MPa. According to EC3, tensile
forces will be balanced by compressive action of the beam and column flange at the compression zone. At this
location, the flange beam receives a maximum compression of 453.28 MPa and column flange of 414.74 MPa.
Those values indicate the compression zone is critical compared to the tension zone.

414.74

453.28

FIGURE 6. Deformed shape of von mises stress at compression zone

020024-5
 For the second method, the component method was used to obtain the moment capacity of the connection.
The plate bending moment resistance is calculated by Eq.(1) which refers to BSEN 1993-1-1 [12]. The parameters
that is used are the section modulus (Wy), yield stress (fy) and the partial factor (JM1). The slenderness effect of the
cross-section is expressed by buckling reduction factorFLT (Eq.2), this value is obtained by the slenderness factor
OLT and value to determine the reduction factor )LT (Eq.3). The imperfection factor DLT in Eq.(3) is determined
from Eurocode 3. In this case, because of the lipped channel profile is defined as "other cross sections", then
DLT = 0.76 is selected.
F LT ˜ W y ˜ f y
M b ,Rd (1)
JM
1

1
F LT d1 (2)
2
) LT  ) LT  O2LT

) LT 
0.5 ˜ 1  D LT ˜ OLT  0.2  O2LT  (3)

For non-uniform panel, conservative approach can be applied with condition, if the angle (D ) of the trapezoid
plate exceeds 10 degrees, then the non-uniform plate can be approximately by a rectangular plate [13]. In this
paper, however, the geometry of the gusset plate is a combination of rectangular and trapezoidal shape. For a more
precise calculation, a method to predict the moment resistance for the non-uniform plate is proposed. The plates is
divided into sub-sections and iterations need to be done for each sub-sections (Fig. 7). The final iteration produces
the moment resistance of the gusset plate Mg as shown in Eq. (4). Tension resistance (Preinf) of anchor reinforcement
is obtained by multiplying the yield reinforcement (fy, reinf) with the total area of steel bars, in addition the tensile
strength of the concrete is ignored. These values are used to calculate the moment resistance (M reinf) of anchor
reinforcement as shown in Eq. (5). From the procedure above, the following values have been obtained for moment
capacity, Mg = 19.053 kN m, Mreinf=10.816 kN m, Mj=29.87 kN m, respectively.

yi

'xi

FIGURE 7. Sub-section of gusset plate

n F LT ,i ˜ W y ,i ˜ f y
Mg M b ,Rd ¦ (4)
i 1 J M1

M re inf P re inf ˜ yre inf (5)

The calculation of the rotational stiffness connection capacity using by component method is carried out by the
procedure described in EC3. The final result is a moment rotational curve representing the non-linear characteristics
of the joint. For practical purposes BS EN 1993-1:8 [12] provide a simplified guide where the behaviour of
non-linear connections can be simplified into bilinear curves (Fig. 8).

020024-6
 FIGURE 8. The moment rotation curve of component method

The summary results of FEA and EC3 are shown in Table 2 and Fig. 9, overall EC3 prediction gives under
estimate result coMPared to FEA. It can be concluded that FEA gives more rigid results and is a logical
consequence because the contribution of concrete plates is negligible on component methods. The ratio between
FEA and EC3 as shown in Table 3 revealed a need to improve the calculation of both methods. Furthermore, the full
scale test should be done as the basis of the correction.

TABLE 2. Summary results

Methode Momen Mj Stiffness Sj,ini
Kn m Kn m/m Rad
Finite element 137.5 16032
EC3 30 2143
Ratio 4.6 7.5

MOMENT-ROTATION CURVE
160
140
120 FEA
EC3
100
Mz - Kn m

80
60
40
20
0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05
I - rad

FIGURE 9. The moment rotation curve of analysis component results and finite elements

CONCLUSIONS
The main purpose of this research is to study the behaviour of CFS composite joints with a gusset plate as
connection media between beam and column. The following conclusions can be listed as:
x The predicted failure mode is in the bolt hole of the beam and gusset plate.
x The beam flanges and columns in the compression zone play an important role to provide sufficient stiffness
of the connection.
x The results of the FEA is quite high as coMPared to the component method developed from EC3. This
could be due to the effect of including the reinforcement bars in the composite connection. The rigid
behavior of the re-bars could contribute to the stiffening of the connection.

020024-7
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