Numerical simulation of cyclic load on end plate connection

Dimo Zhelev

(dimosiderov@abv.bg)

University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Bulgaria
Faculty of Structural Engineering
Department of Steel, Timber and Plastic Structures


ABSTRACT

The end plate connections are widely used for beam to column joints in steel frame
structure. A numerical simulation of a beam to column joint, loaded with cyclic load, is
performed with general purpose software ANSYS APDL. For verification of the
numerical simulation of cyclic load on end plate connection, the numerical results will be
compared with experimental results from article of (Gang, et al., 2007).

INTRODUCTION

The end plate connections are a good variant of beam to column connection. Their
improvement from welded moment connection is that when designed properly there will
not occur high stress in the welds, so brittle failure is not typical. A lot of experimental
and analytical research has been conducted on the behavior and design method of steel
seismic moment connections, for example the SAC steel research project. The behavior
of the end plate connection depends on many variables: end plate and column flange
thickness, bolt diameter and grade, bolts spacing, shear panel thickness, presence of
column and end plate stiffener. Despite of a lot of experimental and analytical work for
investigating the extended end plate connection behavior for seismic application, not all
aspects are investigated.

In this study a numerical simulations with ANSYS APDL are made to confirm that a
joint model made with plane finite elements used for plates and linear elements for bolts,
with bilinear kinematic material model of the steel components, leads to satisfactory
result, compare with the test results.


NUMER

Geome
100mm

Finite el
(SHELL1
(LINK18
and end
MPC184
and the
choosing

RICAL SIMU
etry
on each sid
lements
181), the
80) for the t
d nodes ar
4. Initial pre
column fa
g these ele
ULATION
de is 20mm
bolts are
threaded pa
re connect
etension on
ace are use
ments is to
m. Bolt prete
simulated
art and BEA
ted with th
n the bolt is
ed element
make the n
BEAM188
ension force
Figure
Genera
applied
connec
elemen
(Krishn
2008).
elemen
elemen
elemen
1994).
will b
with link
AM188 for
e shell ele
applied. F
ts TARGE1
numerical s
8
Figure 1 S
The steel
M20 and
are appli
thickness
connected
e is accordi
2 Finite e
al purpose
d for this
ction mode
nts for the
namurthy,
Shell elem
nts for the
nts for th
nts used
In the cu
be presen
element,
the unthre
ement nod
or the cont
170 and C
simulation f
Specime
n
J D2
J D3
J D6
Specimen g
l is Q345,
M24. Co
ied, the
is 12mm,
d with th
ing to Figur
lement type
software A
research.
el can be m
bolt and t
1978), (
ments for t
bolt nut an
he bolt s
in (Sherb
urrent resea
ted as s
working o
eaded part.
es by con
tact betwee
ONTA174.
faster for co
Bolts grade 1
M20, prete
199kN
M20, prete
199kN
M24, prete
283kN
geometry
the bolts
lumn stiffe
column fla
but in the
e beam
re 1.
es
ANSYS APD
The end
made with
the steel p
Gang, et
he plates,
nd head, six
shank are
bourne, et
arch the p
shell elem
n tension
The bolts
nstraint elem
en the end
The bene
omputation
10.9 End
plate
stiffe
ension yes
ension no
ension yes
s are
eners
ange
part
plus
DL is
plate
solid
plates
al.,
solid
x link
the
al.,
plates
ments
only
start
ment
plate
efit of
.

e
ener
Material

For
hardenin
kinemati
bolts gra



The
on mono
modulus
appears
hardenin
Fric

Loading
The
to lock
the top
Yield stre
2
kN
cm

99.5
Yield stre
2
kN
cm

37.2
l models
r monotonic
ng. For cycl
ic hardenin
ade 10.9 is
e steel plat
otonic and
s of the ste
that the va
ng in bilinea
ction coeffic
g and boun
e pretensio
the new le
as shown
ess Elast
2
kN
cm
2050
ess Elast
2
kN
cm
1886
c load the m
lic load a m
g (ANSYS
applied bili
tes are ma
cyclic load
eel is assu
alue of the
ar model in
cient of 0.4
ndary cond
on force in t
ength of th
on Figure
ic modulus

0
ic modulus

7
material mo
model of the
documenta
near kinem
ade from Q3
d in the re
umed acco
tangent m
the Euro c
4 is applied
ditions
the bolts is
e bolts. Th
1.
Figure
The cy
study o
applied
are dis
yielding
increm

Tangent
2
kN
cm

205
Tangent
2
kN
cm

188
odel applied
e steel elem
ation). The
matic, with v
345 steel.
esearch of
rding to th
odulus is s
ode (EN 19
d between t
s applied as
he model is
3 Cyclic lo
yclic load
of (Gang, e
d and the y
scovered. T
g rotation.
mental step
t modulus
t modulus
d could be w
ments should
stress - stra
values show
Table 1
grade 10.

Table 2 M
Q345 B

Specimens
(Yongjiu, e
he results o
similar to th
993-1-5).
the end pla
s first load
s load with
oad
protocol is
et al., 2007)
yielding rota
Three steps
After yiel
is 10 mm, w
with isotrop
d be chose
ain relation
wn on Table
Material pr
9 Bilinear
Material pro
ilinear kine
s of steel Q
et al., 2011
of this pub
he recomme
ate and the
step, seco
imposed d
s the one
). First a mo
ation and y
s are applie
lding, each
with two cy
pic or kinem
en with
ship for the
e 1.
roperties of
r kinematic
operties of
matic
Q345 are te
1). The tan
blication, al
ended valu
column flan
nd step is
displacemen
applied by
onotonic lo
yielding mom
ed to reach
h displacem
cles applied
matic
e
f bolt

steel
ested
ngent
lso it
ue for
nge.
used
nt on
y the
ad is
ment
h the
ment
d.
RESULT
Moment
TS
t in joint ve ersus rotat tion





































Figu
Specime
bolts M20
plate thk=
With stiff
Specim
bolts M2
plate th
Without
Spec
bolts
plate
With
ure 4 Com
n J D2
0 gr.10.9
=20mm
fener
en J D3
20 gr.10.9
k=20mm
t stiffener
cimen J D6
M24 gr.10.9
e thk=20mm
stiffener
pare of nummerical withh test resultts
Tension

-250 -1
T
e
n
s
i
o
n

i
n

b
o
l
t

-
(
k
N
)
-250 -1
T
e
n
s
i
o
n

i
n

b
o
l
t

-
(
k
N
)
-350
T
e
n
s
i
o
n

i
n

b
o
l
t

-
(
k
N
)
n in bolt
Fig
In
Th
elo
bo
the
de
wo
da

0
50
100
150
200
250
150 -50
0
50
100
150
200
250
150 -50
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
-150
gure 5 Ten
Figure 5 is
he results
ongating, th
lt remain w
e bolt does
gradation o
ork in elast
maged.
50 150
M (kN*m)
J D
J D
50 150
M (kN*m)
J D
J D
50
M (kN*m)
J
J
nsion forces
s presented
confirm th
he pretensio
with increas
s not conta
of the conn
tic stage. A
250 350
D2_monotone_bolt_1
D2_cyclic_bolt_1
250 350
D3_monotone_bolt_1
D3_cyclic_bolt_1
250
J D3_monotone_bolt_
J D3_cyclic_bolt_1
s in bolts
d the bolt te
hat in a
on has no e
ed length -
act with the
nection, du
Also this w
0 -250 -15
T
e
n
s
i
o
n

i
n

b
o
l
t

-
(
k
N
)
0
1
-250 -15
T
e
n
s
i
o
n

i
n

b
o
l
t

-
(
k
N
)
_1
-350
T
e
n
s
i
o
n

i
n

b
o
l
t

-
(
k
N
)
ension with
pretension
effect after
- the plastic
e plates. S
ring seizmi
will ensure
0
50
100
150
200
250
50 -50
M
0
50
100
150
200
250
50 -50
M
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
-150
M
the mome
bolt, whe
bolt yieldin
c elongation
So to reduc
ic action, th
that the b
50 150
(kN*m)
J D2_m
J D2_c
50 150
(kN*m)
J D3_m
J D3_c
50
(kN*m)
J D3_m
J D3_c
ent in the be
en the bo
ng, because
n is added,
ce the stiff
he bolts sh
olts will no
250 350
monotonic_bolt_2
cyclic_bolt_2
250 350
monotonic_bolt_2
cyclic_bolt_2
250
monotonic_bolt_2
cyclic_bolt_2



eam.
olt is
e the
, and
fness
hould
ot be

good ag
simulatio
ultimate
the biline
another


CONCL
The
results in
To
should fa
Fro
stiffener
not povi
provided
Fro
evident t
under th
greement w
on are sho
moment re
ear materia
kinematic h
USION
e comparis
n this study
ensure tha
ailure befor
om Figure 4
is applied
ided (speci
d, and also
om Figure 4
that the
e cyclic loa
with the res
owing smal
esistance u
al model ap
hardening m
son betwee
y indicates a
at the conne
re the bolts
4 is eviden
(specimens
imen J D3).
the connec
4 in this stu
curve u
ad.
Figure
The b
depend
equiva
connec
panel
throug




table 3 U
The com
experime
simulation
despite th
ultimate m
to the ex
monotonic
sults from t
l difference
under cyclic
pplied in the
model shou
n the test r
a good agre
ection can
does, or an
nt that the p
s J D2, J D6
. So the e
ction resista
udy and als
under mono
6 J oint rot
behaviour
ds mainly
lent T-stub
ction will in
in the en
h nonlinear
Ultimate mo
mpare of th
nt (Gang, e
n shown in
he simplific
moment res
xperimenta
c load in th
the test. Th
e in the un
c load. The
e study, so
uld be applie
results of (G
eement.
provide en
nother optio
pinching in
) is smaller
nergy abso
ance is high
o mentione
otonic load
tation
of the inv
of the s
b. Higher re
ncrease the
nergy disip
r work.
oment resist
he results
et al., 2007
Figure 4 a
cation of the
sistance ac
al one. Als
he numeric
he hysteres
nloading pa
e reason fo
for better a
ed, like mu
Gang, et al.
nough rotati
on is the sh
hysteresis
r than in the
osrbed is h
her.
ed in the st
is envelop
vestigated
shear pane
esistance o
e participati
pation of t
tance from
from cycl
7) and from
nd in table
e finite elem
chieved is w
so the
cal simulati
sis loops in
art of the l
or this diffe
agreement w
ltilinear or C
., 2007) an
ion capacity
hear panel f
s loops whe
e case whe
higher whe
udy (Gang
pe of the hy
endplate
el and of
of the end
on of the s
the conne
cyclic load
lic load in
m the nume
3 indicates
ment mode
with value c
curve
ion is with
n the nume
oop and in
rence main
with test re
Chaboche.
d the nume
y, the end
failure.
en an end
ere a stiffen
en a stiffen
, et al., 200
ysteresys l
joint
f the
plate
shear
ction

n the
erical
s that
el the
close
from
very
erical
n the
nly is
esults

erical
plate
plate
ner is
ner is
07) is
oops
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ansys documentation.
Gang, Shi, et al. 2008. Numerical simulation of steel pretensioned bolted end-plate
connections of different types and details. Engineering Structures. 30, 2008, pp. 2677-
2686.
Gang, Shi, Shi, Yongjiu and Wang, Yuanqing. 2007. Behaviour of end-plate moment
connections under earthquake loading. ENGINEERING STRUCTURES. ELSEVIER,
2007, 29, pp. 703-716.
KRISHNAMURTHY, N. 1978. A Fresh Look at Bolted End-Plate Behavior and Design.
1978. EMBED Equation.DSMT4


Sherbourne, Archibald N. and Bahaari, Mohammed R. 1994. 3D SIMULATION OF
END-PLATE BOLTED CONNECTIONS. Journal of Structural Engineering. 1994, pp.
3122-3136.
Yongjiu, Shi, Meng, Wang and Yuanqing, Wang. 2011. Experimental and constitutive
model study of structural steel under cyclic loading. Journal of Constructional Steel
Research. ELSEVIER, 2011, 67, pp. 1185-1197.