Title: Mathematical modelling of a ''post-Northridge'' steel connection

Authors: Ali Mehrabian, Achintya Haldar

Addresses: Department of Engineering Technology, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162450, Orlando, FL 32816-2450, USA. ' Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA

Abstract: A robust mathematical model to capture the behaviour of an attractive ||post-Northridge|| type, Partially Restrained (PR) steel connection is proposed. The proposed procedure captures the loading behaviour for this type of connection reasonably well. It is suggested that the unloading and reloading parts of M – θ curves required for seismic analysis can be theoretically generated by using the Masing Rule. This study confirms some of the important desirable features of the connection. Although it is a PR connection, its initial stiffness is similar to that of bolted, a single web angle with top and seat connection, generally considered to be a Fully Restrained (FR) connection. Thus, a steel frame with the connection studied is not expected to show weakness in satisfying serviceability requirements. Furthermore, the beam develops full plastic moment and the ductility of the connection and its seismic energy dissipation characteristics are expected to be significantly improved.

Keywords: steel frames; earthquakes; partially restrained connections; nonlinear seismic analysis; pre-Northridge steel connections; post-Northridge steel connections; numerical analysis; ductility; seismic analysis; seismic energy dissipation; mathematical modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2007.014937

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2007 Vol.2 No.3, pp.195 - 207

Published online: 20 Aug 2007 *

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