I-beam to RHS-column joints with welded studs under cyclic loading

Abstract

The design of removable beam-column joints between open structural steel beams and rectangular hollow section (RHS) columns is not easy because of the inaccessibility to the tube interior from outside. I-beam to RHS-column joints with threaded welded studs are of great interest due to their low-cost assembling technique and easy on-site execution. This study examines the cyclic performance of these joints with welded studs. A quasi-static experimental study on the cyclic response of eight joint specimens is described. The strength of the joint and the failure modes were revealed. The ductility of the joints was also evaluated according to the rotation capacity after yielding, classifying all of them as having intermediate ductility and, therefore, implying some capacity to withstand limited plastic deformations when subjected to seismic forces. Some equations were also used to classify the joints according to the components that mainly govern the deformation of the full joint. In addition, the energy dissipation rate was assessed for all the specimens, finding the highest energy dissipation rates in the most rigid joints.