COLD-FORMED STEEL TRUSSES WITH SEMIRIGID JOINTS

An experimental research program aiming to evaluate the semi-rigid beh aviour of some typical bolted connections, that are used in cold-forme d steel plane truss joints, was carried out in the Laboratory of CMMC Department of The 'Politehnica' University of Timisoara. From the expe rimental values of the resistant moment and initial stiffness of the j oints, the semi-rigid character of tested joints were established via the Eurocode 3 provisions. A numerical analysis of this type of truss, in which this semi-rigid behaviour is taken into account using the ex perimental results, is performed in order to demonstrate the improveme nt of load capacity in comparison with the classical assumptions. Fina lly, a semianalytical method combined with FEM simulations, calibrated via some experimental results, is proposed, in order to carry out a p arametric study on the local behaviour of this type of connection. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd All rights reserved.