Component Modelling of Connections Between Circular-Hollow-Sections and Through-All Members

Abstract

The recent use of the 3D Laser Cutting Technology in the field of civil engineering has led to the development of novel typologies of steel beam-to-column connections made by welding circular hollow section columns (CHS) to through-all members. The main feature of these joints is that they are able to provide higher flexural strength, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity compared to the corresponding joints with elements simply welded to the external surface of the hollow section. Currently, there are no codified rules for such a type of structural details and, consequently, the design of these joints implies the development of complex FE models. Aiming at filling the knowledge gap regarding the structural flexural behaviour of CHS through I-beam joints, a research activity is currently ongoing at the STRENGTH laboratory of the University of Salerno with the objective to provide simple analytical tools for the design and modelling of such connections through the component method, both under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. This paper deals with the preliminary study of the behaviour of one of the elementary components characterising the response of beam-to-column joints composed by CHS columns and Ibeams, which is the "plate transversally welded to the column in tension/compression". This component is meant to model the local behaviour exhibited by the CHS tube at the upper/lower beam flange level. This component is very important because it governs the deformability of the connection and may limit the resistance of the joint due to the local failure of the CHS tube. In the performed work, monotonic and cyclic tests on specimens representative of realistic geometric configurations of beam-to-column joints have been carried out. Subsequently, a finite element (FE) model, representative of the analysed connection, has been developed and validated against the experimental results.