Experimental Study on the Cyclic Response of a Monolithic Side-Plate Connection
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 12
Abstract
Steel side-plate connections are reliable load path alternatives because they eliminate the fabrication challenges associated with continuity plates, especially for concrete-filled tubes (CFTs). In this paper, a new easy-to-fabricate moment connection for connecting I-beams to CFT columns using the monolithic side-plate technique is proposed. In this connection, the vertical side plates are entirely replaced by column webs to save steel material by eliminating the use of double steel plates in the connection panel zone and resolving the biaxial fabrication issues associated with the lack of welding access between the orthogonal side plates and the column. Four full-scale experimental tests consisting of two couples of relatively identical bolted and welded connections were conducted under a cyclic lateral displacement control loading protocol and a constant compressive axial load was applied to the column to evaluate the seismic performance of the connection. Furthermore, standard geometrical limitations, such as the column width and beam depth, were challenged. The results indicated that the new proposed connection exhibits sufficient stiffness and high level of ductility up to more than 4% of story drift without any strength degradation, implying that this new connection can be classified as a prequalified rigid moment connection to be used in special moment frames (SMFs) located in high seismic regions.
Practical Applications
In this paper, a monolithic side-plate connection is proposed and four full-scale specimens with oversized geometrical characteristics are experimentally investigated. The favorable results of this study show that this connection can be used as a prequalified rigid beam-to-column moment connection in intermediate and special steel moment frames consisting of box columns. The proposed easy-to-implement connection offers advantages such as decreased weight, fewer welding operations, and biaxial connection capability, which are not possible with conventional side plates. This connection is successfully implemented in an IMAX multicomplex building, with gross area and 82.32 m height. The proposed idea is applicable to any project with large box-shaped columns in high seismic regions and the achievements of this study can provide experimental support for the seismic design of these buildings. Critical factors in the connection performance are the column width and side-plate geometry, and considering other specific aspects of this connection, there is a lot of potential for further numerical and experimental investigations. Although not shown in this work, the proposed approach gives us the necessary flexibility to easily develop a biaxial moment connection, and further research is recommended in this case.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Iranshahr Civil Complex and performed in cooperation with the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES). The authors highly appreciate their cooperation and assistance. We would like to especially thank Mr. M. Ahmadpour and Dr. M. Bastami for their outstanding efforts and helpful discussions.
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Feb 11, 2023
Accepted: Jul 10, 2023
Published online: Sep 22, 2023
Published in print: Dec 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Feb 22, 2024
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