Abstract
Low cycle repetitive loading tests are carried out using steel beam-to-column joint specimens in order to investigate low cycle fatigue behavior of the joint. Fatigue cracks are developed from the fillet weld toe at the stress-concentrated portions in the corners of beam-to-column joints. These cracks are initiated in the very early stage of cyclic loading. The crack initiation life of steel beam-to-column joints can be evaluated by means of elasto-plastic finite element analysis, using three-dimensional models and the cyclic stress-strain curve.
