Research on Self-Drilling Screwed Lap Connections in Steel Diaphragms and the Design Models

Abstract

In this paper, the results of a research on thin-plate single-lap connections are presented. Such type of connections is popular in steel roofs made of trapezoidal plates and other thin-walled elements. In case of a building safety it is necessary to ensure that materials with proper durability and ductility are used. Connections are one of the most important components in such structures, particularly when in-plane strength of a roof is taken into account. So far, in many existing regulations, only general calculations of such connections are conducted. However recently, discrete and computational methods can be used to build new, expanded mathematical design models, such as those presented here. Such models could be useful in an advanced design where a static analysis is combined with the safety assessment of the connections in a structural system. This is difficult when sheeting is utilized as a structural in-plane shear diaphragm. These require to take into consideration the important interactions of structure with covering and covering with another covering elements. The research is an effect of authors works on practical design approaches. Such methods can be effectively used for structural designs of buildings where the stressed skin diaphragm action is involved. Finally, practical input values about connections can be acquired from the presented data.

Research on Initial Behavior of Screwed Lap Connections of Thin Plates – Experimental Tests and FEM Analysis

“…An important design problem is to determine the degree of complexity of a joint between two structural elements in a static system such that the most adequate behavior is ensured. For these cases, it is suggested to use more simplified geometric and physical properties of joints [15]. For such simplified properties of joints, their initial behavior have to be recognized.…”