Behaviour and Design of Cold‐Formed Steel Bolted Portal Frame Connections. Issue 2 (1st September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mojtabaei, Seyed Mohammad; Becque, Jurgen; Hajirasouliha, Iman
• Is Part Of: Ce/papers. Volume 4:Issue 2/4(2021)
• Page Start: 432
• Page End: 437
• Publication Date: 2021-09-01
• Subjects: Cold‐Formed Steel (CFS) -- Bolted connection -- Shear lag -- Design equation -- Reliability -- Optimisation; Civil engineering -- Periodicals; 624
• DOI: 10.1002/cepa.1313
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2509-7075

Abstract

Abstract: Cold‐formed steel (CFS) sections have a wide range of applications, among which portal frames take up an ever more popular place. The behaviour of CFS moment‐resisting frames depends mainly on the performance and failure mechanism of their connections (i.e. the beam‐to‐column and column‐to‐base connections). This paper aims to study the structural performance of CFS moment‐resisting connections by investigating a commonly governing failure mode consisting of local buckling of the CFS member web adjacent to the bolted connection. Experimentally validated finite element models of CFS bolted connections were developed in ABAQUS using Python scripts, taking into account material and geometric nonlinearity, geometric imperfections and realistic bolt bearing behavior. The validated models were then used to investigate the effects of the cross‐sectional shape, plate thickness, bolt configuration and bolt group length on the flexural and the axial compressive capacities of CFS bolted connections. It was concluded that, depending on the geometric characteristics of the connection, its ultimate capacity may be significantly affected by the effects of shear lag. The results were subsequently employed to develop design equations for the nominal flexural and axial compressive capacities of CFS bolted moment‐resisting connections.