Souroosh Yaghoubi Zadeh - Graduate of Structural Engineering, K. N. University of Technology

A hollow-section concrete-filled steel column (CFT) is a cost-effective option in designingmedium and tall buildings. However, the inability to construct internal continuity plate in a mannersimilar to conventional continuity plate in moment resisting frames, due to the presence of concretewithin the steel column cross-section, weakens the panel zone. Lack of standards and code for thedesign and construction of CFT column connections with internal perforated continuity plate to allowconcrete to pass through, has been a challenge for engineers. In Chapter ۹ of CIDECT Code No. ۹,design relationships are presented for external continuity plates. Also, AISC code does not provide anyguidance in designing internal continuity plate in CFT columns. The proposed solution in this researchwork is to cut square or diamond shaped perforation with the aim of passing concrete. As a result ofdrilling the continuity plate, the stress distribution in the plate is changed, and as a result, its strengthand stiffness decreases. The factors affecting on stress distribution in the continuity plate include theshape and dimension of the hole and the thickness of the continuity plate. In this study, usingABAQUS modeling, sensitivity analysis is performed on the influence of the size and shape of theperforated plate and the stress distribution of the continuity plate is investigated and it is concludedthat the diamond shape is more suitable than the square hole. Finally, in this study, some relationshipsare presented to determine the strength of diamond and square shaped perforated plates.

Concrete Filled Column, Rigid beam-to-column connection, Internal PerforatedContinuity Plate, Square-shaped hole, Diamond-shaped hole