The effect of using stiffener sheets in reducing the weld stress concentration of saddle-like connections

Saddle-like connections constitute one of the common beam-to-column semi-rigid connections in typical steel structures in the country, which has long been of attention in constructions across different regions. The discrepancy between actual stress distribution and design stress distribution alongside concentration of stress on the corner of angles is one of the causes of vulnerability of this type of connection. In this research, a typical saddle-like connection was considered as the reference. Then, two other forms of connection, taking the reference connection as the model, were modeled through adding angle on both sides and along upper and lower directions, plus the other by adding stiffener sheets to the web of the column and at the site of connection of angles to the column through CATIA software. The proposed forms underwent increasing cyclic loading, and by analyzing them via Ansys finite element software, it was observed that changes in the type of connection through adding stiffener sheet had an effective role in enhancing the connection strength and prevented stress concentration.

Keywords:

saddle-like connections , stress concentration , stiffener sheet , connection strength , IPE beam