Robustness of Simple Steel Connections in Fire

Ying Hu & Dr. Buick Davison and Prof. Ian Burgess (Supervisors), Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
Prof. Roger Plank (Supervisor), School of Architecture

The University of Sheffield

Background Robustness of Steel Joints in Fire What is the robustness

 In structural fire engineering, it is implicitly
assumed that simple steel connections are
capable of maintaining structural integrity to
resist progressive collapse. But evidence from
full scale fire tests (at the BRE Large Building
Test Facility at Cardington) demonstrates that
steel connections may be the weakest and most
vulnerable components in fire conditions.
Relying solely on standard design details, the
failure of steel connections may arise from
rupture of endplates, fracture of bolts or bearing
in the beam web.
a) Bearing failure and bolt fracture for fin plates
in steel structures?
 Robustness is the ability of a structure to
withstand events like fire, explosions, impact or  Issues concerning robustness of
the consequences of human error, without being simple steel joints in fire conditions
damaged to an extent disproportionate to the
original cause. a) variation of tying resistance
of simple connections in a
 Two main approaches are recommended for fire situation.
b) Rupture of endplates for partial depth endplates structural robustness:
i. Web cleats ii. Fin plates iii. Flexible end plates
b) alteration of ductility in fire,
 To investigate the robustness of joints in fire Tying force approach: tying a steel frame
 Simple steel connections include fin plates, flexible end (recent research, completed
conditions, a research group at the University of horizontally and vertically to increase its structural
plates and web cleats. at The University of Sheffield
Sheffield developed a series of tests for simple steel continuity and create a structure with a high level proved that the ductility
connections. From test results, it was clearly proved of robustness.  Assumptions for simple steel connections: needed to be taken into
that simple connections, except web cleats, do not account in a fire situation, as
Alternate load path method: if part of a structure a) to be ductile, possess large rotation capacity and
possess sufficient rotation capacity to permit the an indicator of structural
had been removed by an accidental action, the nominally pin the beams and columns.
deformation required to catenary action in fire robustness)
remaining members were still well connected to
conditions. Damage in brittle components (bolts and b) to resist shear forces only
develop an alternative load path which transfers c) modes of failure for simple
welds) may provoke the failure of connections;
the load of the collapsed members to the steel connections in a fire
therefore, part of the research effort in this project
surrounding stiffer members. situation (failures caused by
has been put into the investigation of the
brittle components or ductile
performance of brittle components in fire conditions.
failures)

Flexible End Plates in Fire Standard 8.8 Bolts in Fire Why is research needed for structural 8.8 bolts?
a) reduction factors for 8.8 bolts in fire
I. Catenary action and tying force approach I. Background II. Experimental arrangement and objectives

 Catenary action is the behaviour of a steel beam acting as a cable  Modes of failure for standard 8.8 bolts in fire  A comparative study was performed for bolts
hanging from the surrounding cold structure, which is observed in a fire ordered to British standards (BS 4190: 2001) and
situation. Note that, to develop catenary action in fire, steel connections European standards (BS EN ISO 4014) at the
are required to experience a large rotation and support a tensile load University of Sheffield.
(tying force). At ambient temperatures, the minimum tying force is taken
 The first objective was to identify an approach to
to be 75 kN. a) Catenary action
eliminate premature failure due to thread stripping. furnace
 In the tying force approach, the tying force is the action which is a) Bolt shank failure b) Threads stripping  The second was to observe the performance of
generated within steel beams and passed on to steel connections. Note
these two classes of bolts in fire conditions
that the tying forces applied in a structure could be horizontal and  Standards for grade 8.8 bolts
III. Experimental results b) bolts’ performance in fire
vertical, even inclined in catenary action. a) Withdrawn standards
 However, the tying resistance is defined as the ability of steel BS 3692:1967 and BS 4190:1967  From test results, the premature failure may be
connections to resist a horizontal force in accordance with an industry prevented by using standard 8.8 bolts with grade 10
standard design manual. This definition implicitly suggests that b) Current bolt standards nuts, and closer tolerance in threads may help bolt
engineers should determine the tying resistance of simple steel b) Furnace for tests assemblies to achieve better performance in fire
British standards
connections in the absence of beam rotations (without considering the conditions.
moment). BS 3692:2001 and BS 4190:2001
 It is not suggested to use zinc plated nuts, which
 To develop catenary action in fire, steel connections are required to be European standards may impair the performance of bolts in fire
ductile enough to accommodate the induced rotation in a fire situation. BS EN ISO 4014 and BS EN ISO 4032
Therefore, ductility (rotational capacity) may be regarded as an  The avoidance of thread stripping between bolt
indicator of robustness of steel connections in fire conditions. BS EN ISO 4017 and BS EN ISO 4032 and nut threads is beneficial for robustness of steel
connections in fire conditions.
II. Experimental arrangement for flexible end plates in fire c) Sketch of loading
system
 A series of experimental tests were carried out at the University of
Sheffield for investigation of robustness of steel connections in fire
conditions. Simulation of Endplate Connections in Fire
 Steel sections (254UC89 and 305x165UB40) were supplied by Corus
and fabricated by Billington Structures Ltd. All the bolts were M20 Grade I. Why do engineers need finite element modelling?
8.8, used in 22 mm clearance holes, and standardized fitting end plates
were used for simple connections. All these tests were performed in an  Conducting experimental tests is always time consuming and  For realistic simulations, actual material properties must be required in the
electric furnace and the load was applied through three linked Φ26.5 d) Location of a flexible expensive. solution procedure. The material properties for the various components of
mm Macalloy bars. endplate connection steel connections may be determined from the engineering stress-strain
 Furthermore, carrying out tests at high temperatures has extra
relationships recommended in Eurocode 3.
III. Experimental results for flexible end plates difficulties in recording displacements and strains.
 It is clearly observed, from the load-versus-rotation
curves, that the resistance and rotation capacity of steel  Thus, using experimental data for validation, but simulating the
III. Verifying numerical model with experimental results
connections are both decreased at high temperatures. connection performance with finite element modelling, provides an
The reduced rotation capacity of flexible end plates at opportunity for wider parametric investigations and eliminates the
high temperatures is caused by the rupture of end plates limitations associated with experiments.
occurring before the beam flange contacts with the
column flange, which occurs at ambient temperatures as II. How to create a finite element model for endplate connections?
evidenced by the kink in the curve at about 6o rotation.  The above FE model started with creation of individual components
 From experimental results, only one mode of failure has such as bolts, endplates, beams and columns. These components
been observed for flexible end plates in fire conditions: were then assembled into a numerical model in the global
the rupture of endplates around heat affected zone. coordinate.
 For a real structure in fire, simple steel connections are  A small number of cohesive elements has been embedded into this
capable of resisting some moment and the inclined tying model, as indicators of the failure of endplates. The contact
force may be produced within a steel beam. As a interactions between bolts, endplates and column flanges were
consequence, the tying resistance calculated in simulated by surface-to-surface formulations in ABAQUS.
e) Test results for flexible endplate connections
accordance with the industry standard Green book and
and modes of failure in fire
EC3 are likely to overestimate the real resistance of  In comparison with experimental results, the numerical model, embedded
these connections. Comparison between experimental with cohesive elements, is capable of estimating the resistance and ductility
results and calculated values proved this point clearly, of flexible endplate connections in fire conditions.
as shown in the left table.
 Furthermore, through this comparison, the quasi-static analysis technique is
 The data in this table demonstrates that the minimum proved to be a reliable and suitable tool to effectively simulate the
tying force (75 kN) for simple steel connections cannot performance of bolted connections.
be assured at high temperatures (over 450oC).
 Therefore, the simulation strategies employed in this part may be reliable for
 The ductility of flexible end plates is a crucial issue the further parametric studies of flexible endplate connections.
f) Test results for flexible endplate connections concerning robustness of steel structures in fire.

d) From experimental results, the minimum tying resistance (75 kN) cannot be assured for
Conclusions and Recommendations partial depth endplate connections at high temperatures. The tying capacities calculated in
b) To present a simplified model is the eventual target in this research work. This
(mechanical) model is based on fully understanding of the performance of individual
accordance with the industry standard Green book are likely to overestimate the real
components in fire conditions, and simplifies these components with bi-linear or tri-
resistance of simple steel connections in fire conditions.
linear load-deformation characteristics. As a consequence, the mechanical model
a) The premature failure of bolts, owing to thread stripping, has been reported in the connection tests should represent the performance of steel connections, which is now the most simple
e) The finite element model, embedded with cohesive elements, was presented and verified
(not in flexible endplate tests), and the avoidance of this failure mode is beneficial for robustness of and popular approach to simulate the performance of simple connections in fire.
with experimental results. The quasi-static analysis strategy was proved to be a reliable
steel connections in fire conditions.
and suitable tool to effectively simulate the performance of bolted connections in fire.
b) Zinc plated (zinc finished) nuts are not suggested to be used in steel construction, and selecting Acknowledgement
black finished nuts (Grade 10) assembled with 8.8 bolts is an effective measure in achieving
improved performance of bolts at both ambient and elevated temperatures.
Further Research The research work described in this poster is part of a project funded under Grant
c) The connection tests demonstrate that both the resistance and rotation capacity of flexible end plate EP/C510984/1 by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of the United
a) Currently, the research in connection already completed experimental tests and validation
connections were reduced at high temperatures, and the mode of failure observed for these Kingdom. This support is gratefully acknowledged by the authors. In this project, the
of numerical models. To improve understanding, a series of parametric studies will be
connections is the rupture of endplate around heat affected zone. authors would also like to thank technical staff for their assistance and excellent work.
conducted on a range of steel connections by using the finite element simulation.