BLIND BOLTING W-SHAPE BEAMS TO HSS COLUMNS

Connecting a W-shape beam to a hollow steel section (HSS) column using conventional bolts is difficult due to a lack of access inside the ho llow section column to tighten the nut. Field welding the connection r emains the common practice. The objective of this work is to propose a bolted moment connection for rectangular hollow steel columns using h igh-strength blind bolts, and to evaluate such a connection in terms o f its performance and its failure modes. An experimental program was c onducted involving beam-to-column specimens subjected to beam tip mono tonic loading. Moment-rotation relationships of the tested connections were obtained while the response of the connection and its elements w as investigated. Results show promising performance of such a connecti on type in terms of its stiffness, moment capacity, and ductility. Com parison is made with a similar connection using ordinary high-strength A325 bolts. For the blind bolted connection, it was found that column flange thickness is a critical element that may govern the failure mo de.