Finite Element Analyses of Flush End-Plate Connections between Steel Beams and Columns at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

This paper presents a finite element analysis procedure developed to study the behaviour of a flush end-plate connection between steel beams and a column at elevated temperatures and generates temperature-rotation diagrams that describe the behaviour of the connection. The analysis uses a highly detailed three dimensional finite element model that is created using the commercial ANSYS software. The steel connection properties are selected in a way that reflects commonly used connections in steel framed buildings. The results of the finite element model are calibrated and compared to the results of experimental fire tests conducted on similar connections. This comparison shows a deviation of about 12% which is reasonable considering the complexity and the nonlinear nature of the analysis. Furthermore, the same methodology used to create the finite element model of isolated steel connections is then used to create a sub-frame constructed with similar connections. Both the applied loads and the dimensions of the model represent a part of a typical steel framed building that is subjected to a fire outbreak in one of its bays. The results indicate that at low temperatures, the main beam is snugly fixed and the joints at both sides provide full rigidity whereas at elevated temperatures the central deflection is rapidly increased because of plastic hinge formation. Although this frame has not been tested in reality, the finite element model gives a prediction of the failure mechanism of such a frame under fire loads without the use of expensive full scale testing facilities.

Keywords

bare steel flush end-plate connection finite element modelling fire modelling elevated temperature

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

AISC, Inc. (2006). Steel Construction Manual, 13th Edition, AISC Inc.

Al-Jabri

K.S.

(1999). The Behaviour of Steel and Composite Beam-to-Column Connections in Fire, PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.

Al-Jabri

K.S.

(2007) “Behaviour of steel-framed buildings in a fire”, Steel Structures, Vol. 7, pp. 227–237.

Al-Jabri

K.S.

Burgess

I.W.

and Plank

R.J.

(2001). “The influence of connection characteristics on the behaviour of beams in fire”, Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation, Zingoni

, ed., Elsevier Science Ltd, pp. 1087–94.

Al-Jabri

K.S.

Burgess

I.W.

Lennon

and Plank

R.J.

(2005). “Moment-rotation-temperature curves for semi-rigid joints”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Vol. 61, pp. 281–303.

Al-Jabri

K.S.

Seibi

and Karrech

(2006). “Modelling of un-stiffened flush end-plate bolted connections in fire”, Journal of Constructional Steel Research, Vol. 62, pp. 151–159.

ANSYS (2005). ANSYS Workbench Documentation, Version 10, ANSYS Inc.

EC3 (2001). Design of Steel Structures — Part 1.2: General Rules — Structural Fire Design, European Committee for Standardization, DD ENV 1993-1-2:2001, CEN, Brussels.

EC3 (2005). Design of Steel Structures, Part 1.8: Design of Joints, European Committee for Standardization, Document BS EN 1993-1-8.

10.

Lou

G.B.

and Li

G.Q.

(2006). “Nonlinear finite element modelling of behaviour of extended end-plate bolted moment connections in fire”, Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Structures in Fire, Aveiro, Portugal, pp. 327–343.

11.

Rahman

Hawileh

and Mahamid

(2004). “The effect of fire loading on a steel frame and connection”, High Performance Structures and Materials II, Brebbia

C.A.

and de Wilde

W.P.

, eds., WIT Press; pp. 307–316.

12.

Sarraj

Burgess

I.W.

Davison

J.B.

and Plank

R.J.

(2007). “Finite element modelling of steel fin-plate connections in fire”, Fire Safety Journal, Vol. 42, pp. 408–415.

13.

Spyrou

Davison

J.B.

Burgess

I.W.

and Plank

R.J.

(2002). “Component-based studies on the behaviour of steel joints at elevated temperatures”, Proceedings of the Third European Conference on Steel Structures—Eurosteel, Lamas

and da Silva

Simões L.

, eds. Coimbra, Portugal: cmm Press, pp. 1469–1478.

14.

Lawson

R.M.

(1990). Enhancement of Fire Resistance of Beams by Beam-to-Column Connections, Technical Report, SCI Publications 086, Steel Construction Institute, UK.