IntroJuctlon: lot rolled I-sections are most commonly used as beams and columns in steel

moment resisting rame ,MRl, buildings. 1ubular box sections can also be used as columns. 1hese
closed box sections hae additional rigidity against torsion and higher buckling strength compared
to the open I-sections. lurther, when additional axial strength is required, these box sections can
easily be illedwith concrete to proide the same.
loweer, there are some inherent diiculties in using box columns in MRls, particularly the
connections between the box columns to I-beams pose a major challenge. llanges o box columns
are more lexible than those o conentional I-sections which lead to local lange and weld ailures.
lurther, the column webs not being coplanar with the beam web renders them to be ineectie with
additional demand on the column lange. 1hus, beam plastic moment capacity mobilization, which
is essential or good seismic perormance o MRls, is not achieed and cause poor energy
dissipation at the joints. 1hus, the major challenges in using box columns are to ensure a smooth
orce transer path rom the beam to column webs, and to orce plastic actions into the beam away
rom the column ace. 1his will also preent any local or weld ailure.

Rupen Goswami
Department oI Civil Engineering

Seismic Design of Steel Box Column to I-Beam Connections



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Why Box Columns?
ligher torsional resistance
ligher buckling strength
ligher axial strength
: Concrete illed

Difficulties
llexible column lange
: Local lange ailure
: \eld ailure
Column webs not
coplanar with beam web
: Column web ineectie
: Large demand on lange
Beam plastic capacity
not achieed
: Poor energy dissipation

Challenges
Critical section at
column ace
Connection also at
column ace
Lnsure plastic actions
to be away rom column
ace prior to any local
& weld ailure
Improe orce transer
rom beam to column webs

144










Present Study
Conceptual Design
Initial inelastic inite element ,lL, analysis using ABAQUS |lKS, 2005| o box column to I-beam
welded connections with conentional design practice around the world |e.g., ANSI,AISC 358-05|,
inoling welded continuity plates at the beam lange leels, conirms that ,i, beam nominal plastic
moment is not reached in such connections, and ,ii, there are seere stress concentrations at the re-
entrant corners at the column ace causing yielding o welds. 1hus, a collar plated, inclined rib plated
connection scheme is proposed to acilitate smooth orce low path. Additional web plates are also
proided to urther reduce stress concentrations at the column ace. A comprehensie design
guideline is also deeloped or the design o the connection elements and welds.











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145





Analysis
1o demonstrate the eicacy o the proposed connection scheme, irst, a joint subassemblage
inestigation is done. An exterior box column to I-beam joint is considered with 3 m long 45045022
box column and 3.5 m long 6122021323 I-beam. Material speciications, geometry and boundary
conditions are taken rom a reerence work |Kim and Oh, 200|. Monotonic inelastic lL analyses
results o moment-rotation characteristics o joint subassemblages using the conentional and
proposed designs are comparedwith experimental result using the conentional design.
lL analysis result o subassemblage with conentional design closely matches the experimental
result. Cyclic lL analyses shows enhanced strength and stiness along with 29 more plastic
energy dissipation by the joint subassemblage with proposed design as compared to the one with
conentional design. lurther, on Mises stress contour o joint subassemblage with proposed
design shows ormation o plastic hinge away rom the column ace with welds and connection
elements remaining elastic during the ull load history.
Similar obserations were made rom analyses results o a storey subassemblage inoling an
exterior and interior box column with beams with the two designs, the proposed design produced
higher strength, stiness and 30 more plastic energy dissipation compared to the current design.
Also, plastic hinge was orced away rom the column ace and all connection elements and welds
remained elastic throughout the load history. lurther, local ailure o column lange was not
obsered.
References :
1. lKS, ,2005,, ABAQUS,Standard User's Manual, libbitt, Karlsson &Sorensen, Inc., RI, USA.
2. ANSI,AISC 358-05, ,2005,, Prequaliied Connections or Special and Intermediate Steel
Moment lrames or Seismic Applications, American Institute o Steel Construction, Inc., Illinois,
USA.
3. Kim, \.-J., and Oh, S.-l., ,200,, Lect o the moment transer eiciency o a beam web on
deormation capacity at box column-to-l beam connections,` Journal o Constructional Steel
Research, Vol. 63, No. 1, pp. 24-36.
146

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Inelasticity moed away rom column ace
Local ailure o column lange weld ailure eliminated
Stresses in connection elements in elastic range
Seismic response improed
Moment capacity increased
Stiness increased
128