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Abstract: The results of an experimental research study involving the testing of ten full-scale moment resisting connections under
simulated seismic loading conditions are presented. Each test specimen modeled the interior joint of a moment resisting frame consisting
of square concrete filled steel tube columns and wide flange steel girders, where energy dissipation was designed to occur either primarily
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in the beams or in the connection panel zone during a severe earthquake. The results of the study indicate that moment resisting
connection details can be economically designed that enable more than 0.045 rad of inelastic story drift to develop under cyclic loading.
These details include split-tee connections without a shear tab, weak panel zone connections, and extended tee connections. Panel zone
shear yielding and local buckling are shown to be a ductile mode of response, with minimal strength deterioration occurring in the
connection. The use of interior diaphragms in the column is shown to locally stiffen the joint, but also lead to strain concentrations and
fracture of the beam flanges at their weld access holes. Furthermore, strain concentrations develop at connection details that lack a gradual
transition in geometry and result in a reduction in connection ductility.
DOI: 10.1061/共ASCE兲0733-9445共2004兲130:2共223兲
CE Database subject headings: Composite structures; Tubes; Beams; Connections; Seismic design; Concrete.
y
V t ⫽28Bh 冑 f ⬘c ⫹A web (4)
冑3
where in Eq. 共4兲 B and h⫽width and depth of the concrete core
within the CFT column panel zone; A web⫽area of the web of the
steel tube; f ⬘c ⫽concrete compressive strength 共in psi兲; and
y ⫽yield stress of the steel tube.
In order to motivate designers to take advantage of the features
of a CFT column–WF beam moment resisting frame 共MRF兲 sys-
tem for seismic design, the connections between the beam and
column members must be reliable and economical. Otherwise, the
savings from reduced steel tonnage will be negated if the connec-
tion details are too costly to fabricate and erect. This paper pre-
sents the results of a study of the inelastic cyclic behavior of
connections in square CFT column–WF beam MRF systems. The
study was conducted in conjunction with the U.S.–Japan Coop-
erative Research Program on Composite and Hybrid Structures
共‘‘Recommendations,’’ 1992兲, with the complete details of the
study reported by Peng et al. 共2001兲. The purpose of this study
was to examine the effect that different connection details have on
Fig. 1. Specimens 1 and 2 connection details
cyclic performance. Various connection details were investigated,
resist a beam moment of 1.5M pn at the end of the connection fer the beam’s tension flange force directly to the sides of the steel
共AISC 1997兲, where M pn is the nominal plastic flexural capacity tube within the connection’s panel zone, where the additional ta-
of the beam. pered plates in Specimen 3R were intended to provide a more
The diaphragms of Specimens 1 and 1R were welded around gradual transition in the geometry of the connection region.
their perimeter to the inside of the steel tube using the E70TG-K2 Specimens 4, 5, 6, and 7 had split-tee moment connection
filler metal. Only three sides of the diaphragm for Specimens 2 details 共Figs. 5 and 6兲. The split-tee connections were designed to
and 2R were welded, where the full-penetration weld on the north activate a diagonal concrete compression strut within the connec-
side adjacent to the panel zone 共i.e., web兲 of the steel tube was tion’s panel zone under the action of overturning moment. This
omitted, see Figs. 1 and 2. The purpose of this detail was to was achieved by the use of A490 bolts to develop a horizontal
evaluate the extent that this omitted weld would have on the tension force through the joint. These bolts were passed through
performance of the connection in a box column. In box column the column with the use of PVC conduits placed prior to casting
construction this weld is placed by electroslag welding as the concrete, and tensioned after curing of the concrete. The split-tee
section is closed during fabrication. detail was designed to avoid prying action in the A490 bolts
Specimens 3 and 3R had an extended-tee moment connection 共AISC 1994兲. In Specimens 4 and 5 the stem of the tees were
detail 共Figs. 3 and 4兲. The extended tees for Specimen 3 and 3R attached to the beam flanges using 22-mm-diam A325 bolts with
consisted of ST7.5⫻25 sections that were attached to the beam 2 mm oversized bolt holes, whereas in Specimens 6 and 7 a 12
flanges and column by complete joint penetration welds. Speci- mm fillet weld was used. Net section fracture of the flanges of
men 3R was identical to Specimen 3, except that the former had Specimens 4 and 5 was checked using the following criteria,
250-mm-long tapered plates that were attached to the end of the which is based on AISC LRFD Seismic Provisions 共AISC 1992兲
extended tees and edge of the beam flange using complete joint for gusset plates:
penetration welds. The extended-tee detail was designed to trans-
testing as well as the yield stress y and ultimate stress u for the
steel connection components 共structural tees, extended tees, dia-
phragm plates, tapered plates兲 and the beams and columns are
given. Concrete cylinders were cored out of the ends of the speci-
Fig. 6. Specimens 6 and 7 connection details men columns 共where no damage occurred兲 after testing to deter-
mine f ⬘c of each specimen. The steel beams for the specimens
were fabricated from A36 steel and the columns from ASTM
A n u A500 Gr. B steel. The yield strength for the beams of Specimens
⫽ ⭓1.2 (5) 6 and 7 was notable smaller than that for the other specimens and
A g y
equal to 266 and 230 MPa for the web and flanges, respectively.
where A n , A g , u , and y ⫽flange net area, flange gross area, The structural tees were cut from a W24⫻146 section of ASTM
flange tensile strength, and flange yield strength, respectively. A572 Gr. 50 steel that had a measured yield strength of 342 MPa.
Sacrificial brass shims were placed in the shear plane between the The average measured yield strength of the ST7.5⫻25 sections
tee stem and beam flanges to prevent gouging of their surfaces from which the extended tees were cut was 216 and 224 MPa for
against each other. In addition, washer plates were used in Speci- the web and flanges, respectively.
mens 4 and 5 to prevent local beam flange buckling from occur- The test setup is shown in Fig. 7. This test setup, which in-
ring in the net section at the bolt line, which would result in a cluded calibrated load cells, enabled the member and connection
local flange curvature and high tensile strains. The washer plates forces to be determined. As noted previously, the joint in each
of Specimen 5 were fillet welded to the beam flanges. Specimens specimen simulated the connection between an interior column
6 and 7 were similar to each other. and the two adjacent wide flange beams in a MRF. The length L
The beam flanges of Specimens 1, 2, 1R, 2R, 3, and 3R were and height h of the test specimen were based on assuming points
welded to the column using complete joint penetration welds, of inflection at midspan and midheight of the prototype beams
where the backing bars were removed and the exposed area back and columns, respectively, where L⫽6096 mm and h
gouged and a profiled 6 mm fillet weld placed to improve the ⫽3658 mm. Through the use of cylindrical bearings in the test
quality of the flange weld detail. The geometry of the weld access setup, pin boundary conditions were created at the ends of the
holes for these specimens were in accordance with the AISC members where the assumed inflection points were located.
Specification 共2000兲. The complete joint penetration welds for A typical test was conducted by applying a constant 2000 kN
Specimens 1 and 2 were created using the E70TG-K2 filler metal. axial force to the top of the column using two hollow core jacks
E7018 filler metal was used for Specimens 1R, 2R, 3, and 3R. and a set of tension rods to simulate gravity loading 共see Fig. 7兲.
The E70TG-K2 and E7018 electrodes produce a weld metal of A lateral cyclic displacement history was then imposed to the top
high toughness, where typically the Charpy V-notch toughnesses of the column by an actuator to produce lateral seismic loading
Fig. 9. Panel zone shear-deformation response for weak panel zone specimens
Fig. 11. Beam moment-plastic rotation response at end of the connection for weak beam specimens
that a significant amount of strain had developed. Readings from testing. The retrofit involved the use of tapered plates welded to
strain gages located near the crack revealed a strain had devel- the beam flanges of Specimen 3, which became Specimen 3R
oped that exceeded 20,000 microstrain before cracking occurred. after being repaired 共see Fig. 4兲. During testing, Specimen 3R
Inelastic finite element analyses were conducted by Ricles et al. developed significant beam yielding outside the connection, as
共1998兲 to verify the development of this strain concentration and well as in the flanges of the extended-tees during the inelastic
design a retrofit for Specimen 3 to avoid such behavior in further displacement cycles. Shear yielding initiated in the steel tube