Resistance tables for standardized joints in accordance with EN 1993-1-8

in CONNECTIONS VII proceedings (in press)

Publications containing resistance tables for joints in steel structures have been published in the last decades in various European countries. However, most of those publications provide joint ... [more ▼]

Publications containing resistance tables for joints in steel structures have been published in the last decades in various European countries. However, most of those publications provide joint resistances according to the design rules of national standards or according to the ENV version of Eurocode 3. The present paper refers to two new publications containing resistance tables in accordance with the new Eurocode 3 Part 1.8 (EN 1993-1-8). One of these two publications is devoted to joints with open sections including simple joints and moment resistant joints. One type of connection, traditionally used in Germany, but more and more also used in other European countries, is the end-plate connection with four bolts in a horizontal row. This connection type is not directly covered by Eurocode 3. The paper describes briefly the design model for this specific type of connection which is fully in accordance with the design methods of Eurocode 3. The second publication is of particular interest for practitioners because it is the first design tool dealing with hollow section joints in lattice structures. The paper discusses the practical impact of such resistance tables and it reports on some observations using the Eurocode 3 design rules for hollow section joints. [less ▲]

A NEW SIMPLIFIED ANALYTICAL DESIGN METHOD FOR STEEL AND COMPOSITE SWAY FRAMES

in Journal of Constructional Steel Research (2013)

Eurocode 4 is the European design code for composite construction; in its so-called EN 1994-1-1 version, the design of “non-sway buildings” is mainly covered. As a result, EC4 focuses on the check of ... [more ▼]

Eurocode 4 is the European design code for composite construction; in its so-called EN 1994-1-1 version, the design of “non-sway buildings” is mainly covered. As a result, EC4 focuses on the check of structural elements like beams, columns, slabs and joints. However, in the last years, the construction of taller buildings and larger industrial halls without wind bracing systems tends to make global instability a relevant failure mode, which is not well covered by Eurocode 4. Recently, intensive experimental, numerical and theoretical investigations have been carried out at Liège University. The latter aimed at improving the knowledge in the field of sway composite building frames and at developing appropriate design rules. The rotational behavior of the beam-to-column composite joints is one of the key aspects of the problem to which a special attention has been paid. This paper reflects investigations carried out at Liège University on this topic. In particular, an innovative simplified analytical method to predict the ultimate loading factor and the associated collapse mode of both steel and composite frames subjected to static loadings is presented. [less ▲]

Robustness of steel building structures following a column loss

in IABSE Workshop Helsinki 2013 "Safety, Failures and Robustness of Large Structures" Report (2013, February)

Gap analysis on robustness of tubular structures

Report (2012)

Recent events such as natural catastrophes (tsunami, hurricane, …) or terrorism attacks have highlighted the necessity of ensuring the structural integrity of buildings under exceptional events with the ... [more ▼]

Recent events such as natural catastrophes (tsunami, hurricane, …) or terrorism attacks have highlighted the necessity of ensuring the structural integrity of buildings under exceptional events with the objective to save the life of the occupants and of the safety services (fireman, ambulance man, …) and also to avoid collateral damages to the adjoining buildings. The partial collapse of the Ronan Point Tower in 1968 in UK is considered as the starting point of the interest in the structural integrity of buildings but more recent catastrophes in the last decade such as the terrorist attack of the World Trade Center towers in 2001 or the earthquake/tsunami in Fukushima in 2011 have increased the interest of the engineering community and also of the population in this topic. According to different national and international design codes, the structural integrity of civil engineering structures should be ensured through appropriate measures but, in most of the cases, no precise practical guidelines on how to achieve this goal are provided. In the present report, some definitions are first given. Existing codes and standards are then reviewed and main conclusions are drawn on their adequacy to the present needs of practitioners. From this analysis, general and specific research needs within CIDECT are identified. These ones are detailed in two dedicated sections respectively on buildings and trusses. A summary table draws the main conclusions in terms of future required CIDECT investments. Finally some references to literature are listed. [less ▲]

Robustness of steel and composite buildings suffering the dynamic loss of a column

in Structural Engineering International (2012), 22(3), 323-329

In case a vehicle impacts a building frame, one or several columns may be damaged or even completely destroyed. Nowadays, it is a concern to mitigate the risk of progressive collapse of the whole ... [more ▼]

In case a vehicle impacts a building frame, one or several columns may be damaged or even completely destroyed. Nowadays, it is a concern to mitigate the risk of progressive collapse of the whole structure further to such a localised exceptional event. Although this robustness requirement is part of several design codes, very few precise practical guidelines are provided, especially as far as dynamic failures are concerned. The present research focuses on building frames suffering the loss of one internal column. The dynamic response is more specifically investigated, with the aim to understand this behaviour in order to eventually derive simplified procedures for robustness assessment. This paper first briefly presents the main previous achievements related to the prediction of the static response of a plane frame suffering a column loss. The investigations into the dynamic behaviour are then summarised, which constitutes the core topic of the paper. For sake of simplicity, the dynamic response is described using a basic substructure that was proved to show many similarities in behaviour with a global frame losing a column. A simplified model is finally developed for the prediction of the considered system dynamic response. [less ▲]

FP6 PROHITECH project: Volume 5: Seismic protection of historical buildings: calculation models

Book published by Polimetrica (2012)

FP6 PROHITECH project: Volume 3: Seismic Protection of historical buildings: experimental activity

Book published by Polimetrica (2012)

Robustness of car parks against localised fire - Deliverable II: Experimental tests and development of sophisticated behavioural models

Report (2012)

Grant Agreement Number RFSR-CT-2008-00036

Robustness of car parks against localised fire - Deliverable V: Practical behavioural models for car park structures towards design practice

Report (2012)

Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Steel RTD Project carried out with a financial grant of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Grant Agreement Number ... [more ▼]

Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Steel RTD Project carried out with a financial grant of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Grant Agreement Number RFSR‐CT‐2008‐00036 [less ▲]

Robustness of car parks against localised fire - Deliverable IV: Development of FEM model for car parks under localised fire

Report (2012)

Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Steel RTD Project carried out with a financial grant of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Grant Agreement Number ... [more ▼]

Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Steel RTD Project carried out with a financial grant of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel - Grant Agreement Number RFSR‐CT‐2008‐00036 [less ▲]