A study to enhance the deformation capacity of beam-to-column connections using high strength steel having high yield ratio

As structures are becoming bigger and more having long span, construction materials are also becoming higher performance materials. In response to this trend, 800MPa tensile strength class structural steel was developed in South Korea. Currently, many experiments applied high strength steel about flexural members, compression members, and connections are continuously conducted, but the design guideline for high strength steel has yet to be established. From among these, it is more difficult that planning of ductile beam-to-column connections because of the high yield ratio, which is the characteristic of high strength steel and related studies are not sufficient. Therefore, This study proposed connection details for the purpose of enhancing the deformation capacity of high strength steel beam-to-column connections and it conducted full-scale experiment and FEM analysis using the connection detail as the variable. As the connection detail, it applied non-scallop welding method and improved horizontal stiffener construction method. Especially, it suggests the stress balance design formula for the improved horizontal stiffener construction method, in order to improve the efficacy of strain distribution. Through the results of experiment and FEM analysis, it was analyzed structural performance of connections with proposed details, and it suggested the design scope of the improved horizontal stiffener.