Plastic Rotation Capacity of Beam-to-Column Connections Controlled by Initiation of Ductile Crack

Abstract

Seismic behavior of steel members will be strongly influenced by the difference of material properties. To investigate the effects of material property and the shape of the H-section on the rotation capacity of beam-to-column connections, a detailed finite element analysis are used in this study. In case of considering a ductile crack at the beam-to-column connections, it is important to take into account both width thickness ratio and the ratio of plastic section modulus of web on H-beam (Zwp/Zp). The regions of width thickness ratios whose rotation capacity of beam-to-column connections is not defined by the strength degradation but by the initiation of ductile crack are indicated in this paper.