Numerical investigation on behavior of blind bolted moment connections made of cold-formed steel sections

Numerical analyses were conducted to study the behavior of blind bolted end plate joint with concrete-filled square hollow section columns to steel beam. A detailed description of the numerical program and the main results of the analyses were presented. Four full-scale subassemblages representing interior or exterior beam-to-column joints were analyzed under monotonic loading. The failure modes and moment-rotation curves were evaluated. The finite element analysis of connection specimens exhibited favorable strength and stiffness, and large deformation capacity. The results of the analyses show that the blind bolted end plate joint for square CFST columns satisfies rotation capacity and ductility requirement for earthquake resistance in seismic region. The numerical analyses enable improvement to the design of the typed connections to be used in moment-resisting composite frame structures

Keywords:

End plate connections , Blind bolts , Concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) , Finite element analysis (FEA) modeling