Seismic behavior of extended end plate moment connections considering construction imperfections

Extended end plate moment connection is one of the most commonly used types of beam connections. Despite their ease of erection and economical advantage, typical defects can be observed in steel frames built with such connections which require comprehensive studies on the classification of errors and their impacts on the seismic behavior of structures.This paper evaluates effects of common construction imperfections on the seismic behavior of extended end plate moment connections. Some of these problems such as incomplete contact of end plates, widening of the bolt holes for erection purpose and inadequate fastening of the nuts are measured through field inspection. The corresponding amounts have been used in numerical modeling of the connection. Seismic behavior of the connection considering these defects was studied through nonlinear finite element analysis. Results show that such defects may cause a considerable reduction in stiffness and bending moment capacity of the joints which consequently increases the lateral drift of structure due to seismic load

Keywords:

Extended End Plate , Moment Connections , Construction Error , Steel Structure , Seismic behavior