AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOR OF CONNECTIONS FOR PULTRUDED GFRP I-BEAMS AND RECTANGULAR TUBES

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation compa ring beam-to-column connection behavior of pultruded glass fiber reinf orced plastic (GFRP) I-beams and box sections. We also present a novel method for measuring connection stiffness that provides new insight i nto the behavior of flexible connections. The tests comprised six spec imens: three I-beams connections and three box-beam connections. The c onnections had top and bottom seated angles with web clips for the I-b eams and side plates for the box beams. Two of the specimens were bolt ed through the column. Duplicate tests of the standard I-beam and box- beam connections were done to establish repeatability of the tests. Th e box beam connections performed much better than the I-beam connectio ns with respect to both strength and stiffness. Stiffness was improved by 25% and strength increased by 280% by using the box sections with a relatively simple connection geometry. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.