Moment‐Rotation Relations of Semirigid Connections with Angles

TLDR

The study develops moment‑rotation relationships for semirigid steel beam‑to‑column connections with various angle configurations. An analytical procedure calculates initial stiffness and ultimate capacity, a shape parameter is fitted to experimental data, and these are combined into a three‑parameter power model to represent the relationships. The resulting power model accurately captures the moment‑rotation behavior and can be readily applied in second‑order frame analysis.

Abstract

The moment‐rotation relationships of semirigid steel beam‐to‐column connections including single and double web‐angle connections and top‐ and seat‐angle connections with or without double web angle, are developed. The initial elastic stiffness and ultimate moment capacity of the connections are determined by a simple analytical procedure. The shape parameter is then determined by a least‐square curve fitting with experimental tests in Purdue University's data bank. Using the initial connection stiffness, ultimate moment capacity, and shape parameter so obtained, a three‐parameter power model adequate for representing the moment‐rotation relationships of these connections. The power model is simple to use and provides a realistical representation of the actual moment‐rotation behavior of each connection type with angles, and can be easily implemented in a second‐order frame analysis.