MOMENT-ROTATION RELATIONSHIP OF BLIND BOLTED CONNECTIONS FOR HSS COLUMNS

Typical extended end-plate connections used in moment resisting steel frames with Hollow Structural Section (HSS) columns will generally exh ibit a certain degree of flexibility. The actual response of such fram es cannot be realistically assessed, unless the connection flexibility is incorporated in the analysis. This requires the development of mom ent-rotation relationships capable of representing connection response . The objective of this work is to develop an analytical model for suc h connections capable of simulating its behaviour in terms of its mome nt-rotation relationship, so that it can be used in the determination of the overall frame response. The model evaluates the main connection parameters such as its initial stiffness and plastic moment capacity on the basis of few secondary parameters obtained from test results. T he HSS column flange is modelled on both the tension and the compressi on sides of the connection because of its major contribution to the co nnection's rotation. The accuracy of the analytical model was examined by comparing the model results with experimental measurements, it was found that the model predicts the connection rotation with reasonable accuracy at different levels of loading, A numerical example is provi ded to illustrate how the connection model can be applied in design. ( C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.