Design of Wide-Flange Section Column-to-Split-Tee Tensile Connection with High-Strength Bolts

The strength of a wide-flange section column-to-beam connection with split-tee stubs is dominated by out-of-plane deformation of flange plate for the wide-flange section column, especially when transverse stiffeners in the panel zone are omitted to simplify fabrication processes of a beam-to-column connection. The main purpose of the present study is to analytically derive general yield and maximum strengths of the bolted beam-to-split-tee stub connection by yield line analysis, including the case where punching-shear deformation of column flange plate or tensile deformation of connection bolts is considered. The validity of the estimated general yield and maximum strengths of the connection is investigated by comparing with the results of previous experimental studies and it is then shown that the analytical strengths give good estimates of the connection strength. The reference load-deformation relationship curve and design yield deformation are also proposed according to the experimental results; the proposed design yield deformation is appropriate for the case where flexural deformation of plate elements in the connection is critical.