Seismic evaluation of steel moment frames with end plate moment connection considering connection flexibility by component method

In this research, the seismic performance of the steel moment frames with extended endplateis evaluated. This study aims at investigating influence of flexibility of the extendedend-plate connections in the steel moment frames. Almost every moment connections inmoment resisting frames are considered as being fully-rigid; and consequently, if the realbehavior of the connection which has some level of flexibility is being ignored, it results ininaccurate response of the structure. The approach taken to include the flexibility of theconnection is through a spring-stiffness model so called the component method . Thedevelopment of the model was aimed at predicting behaviors of steel moment connectionsespecially their M-θ curves.The results of including the flexibility of the connection on investigating the localperformance of end-plate joints reveal that they are being categorized as defined semi-rigidconnections instead of fully rigid in accordance with AISC. After understanding the actualbehavior of this type of the connection locally, the global behavior of the frames with endplatemoment connections including as well as excluding the flexibility of the connections isinvestigated and compared using nonlinear static pushover, and nonlinear incrementaldynamic analyses. Results revealed considerable difference between the behavior of thestructural frame with connection modeled as fully rigid and connection modeled as semi rigid;and indicated that overlooking the flexibility of beam to column moment connections maylead to incorrect and improper conclusions.

کلیدواژه ها:

End-plate moment connections ، flexibility ، component method ، semi rigid