BASEPLATE COLUMN CONNECTION UNDER BENDING - EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY

In the past baseplate column connections have not received much attent ion from scientists. Only very simple elastic or plastic models are in common use for moment resisting bases. The aim of this paper is to pr esent some experimental and numerical study for such a connection. Uns tiffened rectangular baseplates with constant shape have been welded t o different types of columns with square, rectangular, circular, chann el-and I cross-section. The assembly was then connected to a concrete foundation with four anchorage bolts and submitted to pure bending til l the baseplate failed. Experimental applied bending moment curves ver sus deflections were recorded and the plastic behaviour of the base-pl ate was identified. The failure mechanism was approximated by yield-li ne analysis and the plastic moment was obtained. The kinematic study w as completed by a static study with a non-linear finite element progra m taking into account: - material and geometrical non-linear behaviour of the baseplate; - non-linear contact with concrete foundation. Comp arison between theory and experiment is made and practical conclusions are obtained.