Resistance and elastic stiffness of RHS "T" joints: part I - axial brace loading

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the behaviour of welded "T" joints between RHS sections under brace axial loading. A finite element model was developed to investigate the influence of some geometrical variables on the joint's response. The brace load (always in tension) was incremented up to joint failure, while the chord was kept unloaded. In the companion paper (part II) a complementary study including chord axial loading is presented. The force-displacement curves corresponding to the different geometries are analyzed and compared, focusing on the failure loads and elastic stiffness. Different failure criteria are discussed and applied to the present curves and a comparison of the numerical results with the Eurocode 3 provisions is presented and discussed. KeywordsFinite element method; hollow section joints; deformation limit; plastic analysis; elastic stiffness.Resistance and elastic stiffness of RHS "T" joints: part I -axial brace loading INTRODUCTIONThe use of hollow sections is quite common in steel structures (Figure 1), partly due to their mechanical and aesthetical characteristics. The most common structural hollow sections are rectangular (RHS), square (SHS) or circular (CHS). The precision of design methods for these sections has a major importance considering the economical and safety points of view, and available analytical formulations to predict their behaviour have been included in modern design guides codes such as the

Welded T‐joints Between Rectangular Hollow Section Members With Offset

“…On the whole, patterns of relationships between main geometrical parameters and ultimate loads established for the joints without offset, see Matos et. al [13], are reproduced to those obtained in the current numerical study. From graphical presentation of the outcomes (Fig.…”

“…The same major options of modelling were adopted by Korol and Mirza [3], Kostecky and Packer [7], Lu et al [4], Matos et al [13] and other researchers. The welds were modelled with shell elements as well, as proposed by Lee [14], and later adopted by Matos et al [13], and where an adequate accuracy of results was obtained using this procedure. The inclined shell elements have the weld material properties while in their projection the connected members have unchanged properties.…”

Finite element model for rectangular hollow section T joints

“…The pioneering work was conducted by Puthli [1], who first simulated the ultimate load behaviour of tubular joints. Later shell elements were employed by many researchers [2,3,4,5,6,7]. Although shell elements are effective for most joints providing accurate results without considerable computational effort, they present certain difficulties in modelling fillet welds.…”

Simulation of T-Joints Between RHS Steel Members With Offset in Abaqus Cae

“…In modelling, sections of the joints' brace and chord were presented by their middle surfaces with thicknesses which are correspondent to the real thicknesses of components. As it was stated in more earlier studies (Korol and Mirza [5], Matos et al [6]), shell elements provide an accurate solution to most applications by allowing for transverse shear deformation, which is important for simulation of thick shell element Figure 5.…”