Analysis and ductility requirements of semi-rigid composite frames
Author: Dr T. Q. Li
Supervisor: Professor D. A. Nethercot
Contact: Professor D. A. Nethercot, University of Nottingham, Department of Civil Engineering, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD (tel: 01159 513 907).
This project has been concerned with the influence of composite connections on the performance of composite frames. It has included work on the connections themselves, performance requirements for connections in frames, and on moment redistribution in composite frames. One of its main objectives has been to assess the levels of performance required from the connections that would permit the economic use of simple design procedures for semicontinuous composite frames.
Composite beams: reliability and longitudinal shear resistances with profiled sheeting
Author: Dong-Jie Huang
Supervisor: Professor R. P. Johnson
Contact: Professor R. P. Johnson, Engineering Department, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (tel: 01203 523 129).
There were two distinct projects, both concerned with the design procedures of Eurocode
4: Part 1.1 (now DD ENV 1994-1-1) for resistances of composite steel and concrete beams
for buildings. The partial safety factors for these are denoted ya, yc, and ys, for steel, concrete, and reinforcement, respectively. In the first project, a new method for the statistical calibration of these factors was devised and applied to reported test data for 122 beams. The results confirmed the ‘boxed’ values given in the Code.
The use of ya = 1.05, as proposed in the UK, gives reliability below the target value, if the variability of structural steel is as great as was assumed. Lack of data on the statistical properties of materials, as used on site, is the main source of error in this work.
The response of non-sway steel framed structures with semi-rigid connections
Author: Dr S. M. Lau
Supervisor: Dr P. A Kirby
Contact: Dr P. A. Kirby, Department of Civil & Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Frederick Mappin Building, Sheffield S1 4DU (tel: 01 14 282 5054; fax: 01 14 272 8910).
Dr D. B. Moore, Building Research Establishment, Garston, Watford WD2 7JF (tel: 01923
664 171; fax: 01923 664 010)
This thesis describes work sponsored by the Building Research Establishment which consisted of an appraisal of test data emanating from three earlier experimental studies during which five full-scale steel frames with semirigid joints were tested in a 2-dimensional manner. The frames contained joints with varying degrees of moment resistance and rotational stiffness which led to frame responses involving a significant interaction between beams and columns. This interaction influenced both beam and column deflections, the patterns of frame moments, the ultimate capacities of the members, and the collapse modes.