MOMENT CONNECTIONS FOR WIDE-FLANGE BEAMS TO RHS COLUMNS

Abstract

Since the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Kobe earthquakes, physical testing and analytical studies have been conducted to develop ductile and moderately ductile connections for moment-resisting frames. In contrast, advancements for limited-ductility moment-resisting frame connections have lagged, causing design requirements to be based more on judgment than research. In Canada, for example, CSA S16:19 Clause 27.4.4.1 presents three methods that can be used to satisfy the design requirements for Type LD MRF connections. Two of the three methods inadvertently prohibit the use of Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) columns, leaving the last method of demonstrating a connection performance through at least two physical qualifying cyclic tests (as described in CSA S16:19 Annex J) the only option to use RHS columns in Type LD MRFs. This thesis investigates if connections designed following AISC 341-22 prescriptive design approach for ordinary moment frames can satisfy the performance requirements of CSA S16:19 Clause 27.4.4.1c).