The response of non-sway steel framed structures with semi-rigid connections.

This thesis describes
research work undertaken
to examine
the influence of
joint
resis-
tance to in-plane moments on
the assessment of
five fun
scale
two dimensional steel
frames.
All the available
information has been collected
into a
form which
is
readily usable by the
wider research community. The findings have been used
to develop improved semi-rigid
design methods.
Details of
the experimental results of
five frames
are discussed and reported. A variety
of
joint types were tested, each
type of
joint exhibited some degree of moment and rota-
tional stiffness,
leading to frame
responses
involving significant
interaction between beams
and columns. This affects both beam and column deflections, the pattern of
frame mo-
ments, ultimate capacity of members and collapse modes.
The principal objective of
the tests was
to provide experimental
data
against which
two
in house
sophisticated computer analysis programs may
be
verified. Details of modifications
to an existing databank of
the moment-rotation
test
results
to provide a more efficient and
user
friendly tool for
research workers are explained.
The main objective of
the work described herein was to investigate the influence of
semi-rigid connection behaviour on a wide range of subassemblage configurations. A new
method
for the non-sway column
design is developed and validated using
the test and
analytical results. The new approach
is found to be more economical
than the existing BS
5950 method but it still essentially conservative. The methods
to design the lateral
restraint
beam including the serviceability and ultimate
limit
states are also proposed and examined.
The most
important feature is that the precise
form of
the M-Ø
responses are not
important
for the semi-rigid
design. Finally, a complete set of design methods
is advised
to take into
account
the inherent strength and stiffness of semi-rigid
joint.