Mahmood Hosseini - Associate Prof., Int’l Inst. of Earthquake Eng. & Seismology (IIEES)
Payam Akbari - ph. D student civil engineering, Islamic Azad Univ., Tehran South Branch ,

The purpose of this study is to investigate the behavior of column-tree with end plate connection, and to determine the location of plastic hinges in the structure. Behavior of column-tree frames with end plate connections in different connection configurations is investigated in this research, and the splice beam under cyclic loading is numerically studied using ABAQUS finite element software. 21 samples, representing 3 types of end plate connections of 4 bolts without stiffener (4E) , 4 bolts with stiffeners (4ES) , 8 bolts with stiffeners (8ES) , and 7 types of geometric configurations of splice beams are categorized. The flexural strength, ductility and energy absorption of samples were studied. Investigations revealed that the 4 bolts without stiffener (4E) connection was the best connection, and increasing the thickness of splice beam was the best splice beam geometric configuration for utilization in column-tree system.

column-tree system, end plate, cyclic, splice beam