Behaviour of beam-to-tubular column angle connections under shear loads

This paper deals with the behaviour of semi-rigid angle connections between open beams and tubular columns under shear loads. It provides an account of six connection tests on blind-bolted as well as combined channel/angle configurations carried out under predominant shear loading conditions. The experimental set-up and specimen details are first introduced followed by a description of the results and experimental observations. A number of complementary simple and double shear tests on Hollo-bolt units are also reported in the paper. Based on the experimental results, the main behavioural patterns are discussed and the salient response characteristics related to stiffness and capacity are examined. Finite element models for simulating the joint behaviour are then proposed and a detailed description of the modelling assumptions is presented. Additionally, the potential applicability of simplified component-based expressions for the estimation of stiffness and capacity of beam-to-tubular column semi-rigid connections under shear loads is discussed. The experimental and numerical findings presented in this paper offer direct information on the influence of key geometric properties such as angle dimensions and column wall thickness on the main response characteristics. The results also provide essential data for future analytical and design-oriented studies.