STRUCTURAL RESPONSE OF STAINLESS STEEL BEAM-TO-COLUMN CONNECTIONS SUBJECTED TO CYCLIC LOADING

Abstract eng:
Stainless steel is gaining increasing usage in the construction industry due to its high durability, aesthetic appearance and favourable material properties, including high strength, stiffness and ductility. To date, the majority of the research on stainless steel structures focuses on the response of individual components subjected to static loads. The structural response of stainless steel connections remains largely unverified since only a few publications have reported either experimental or numerical studies on stainless steel connections under static loads, whilst no studies on the response of stainless steel connections subjected to cyclic loads have been published to date. Given the excellent material ductility exhibited by stainless steel under static loading, its usage in applications requiring high ductility seems promising as it can potentially lead to high energy dissipation. This study reports a series of tests on stainless steel connections under static loads, which is utilized to validate a numerical model. The studied structural arrangements include open beam to open column connections of three types: extended end plate connections, top and seated cleat connections and top, seated and web cleat connections. All joints were designed in such a way that that failure occurred in the joint location, with little damage evident in the beam. Upon successful validation, the numerical model is used to investigate the response of stainless steel connections subjected to cyclic loading representative of that occurring in earthquakes. The results demonstrate the significant potential for utilising stainless steel connections either within stainless steel or carbon steel structures, as a means to ensure sufficient ductility in critical locations with high ductility demands.

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