Abstract
Local out-of-plane behaviors of an eccentric connection of non-diaphragm CHS-column to beam were investigated through experimental and numerical tests. Such an eccentricity is often met in the practice that the axes of perimeter beams of a steel structural building are shifted outward from the center of column in order to reduce the gap between beam and external wall. The tests demonstrated that such an eccentricity brings a slightly higher strength and an apparently greater stiffness than those of no eccentricity. This is attributed to the enhancement of the membrane action of the cylindrical body. An idea of combining three models of concentric flanges with actual and virtual widths corresponding to the edges of the eccentric flange was proposed and found to yield a good estimation for stiffness as well as strength of the eccentric connection.
