BEAM-TO-RECTANGULAR HOLLOW SECTION COLUMN CONNECTIONS USING LONG BOLTS: A NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

In steel structural systems, beam to column moment connections have always been a matter of interest. Bolted connections, in particular end plate connections, are considered one of the most familiar beams to column connections. While numerous types of moment connections can be used in opened column sections (i.e. I-Section), using closed column sections such as RHS or SHS in bolted moment connections may be a problem. Unless joint is located at the near opened end of the column, difficulty in accessing the inner closed column face may stand as a barrier for utilizing common moment connections for these joints. Some solutions for this problem, which were recently utilized, varied between special preparations such as cutting a hole through hollow section column, using special bolts or using intermediate elements such as U channels. These solutions may overcome the difficulty of bolt placing, but still have some defects such as low resistance, low rigidity, high cost and the need of a high quality control.