The main parts of the framework are beams, columns and joints. Taking into account all structural members, the accurate behaviour of the joints is least considered in the design practice. This is the framework part, which behaviour is the most simplified. Framework calculations are still performed according to the assumption that joints are either ideally rigid or ideally pinned, in spite of the fact that majority of the joints is neither ideally rigid nor ideally pinned. The idealization of joints into ideally rigid or ideally pinned significantly simplifies the calculation and design, but herewith limits the possibility to obtain the real behaviour of the whole structure. Structural and economical benefit of using the semi-rigid joints is widely known. The real behaviour of the framework allows designing more proper and safer structures, herewith reaching the economical benefit. Incorrect idealization of the behaviour may lead to design of an uneconomical structure and decrease its safety. Recently, the topic of semi-rigid joints is increasingly investigated. Many investigations have been performed with different joints of steel frameworks. Majority of investigations have been performed, when the joints were under bending moment – the force that has the biggest influence on joint behaviour. Only particular types of joints that are mostly used in practice were investigated. Despite the progress in this area, usage of semi-rigid joints in design practise is still problematic... [to full text]

The main parts of the framework are beams, columns and joints. Taking into account all structural members, the accurate behaviour of the joints is least considered in the design practice. This is the framework part, which behaviour is the most simplified. Framework calculations are still performed according to the assumption that joints are either ideally rigid or ideally pinned, in spite of the fact that majority of the joints is neither ideally rigid nor ideally pinned. The idealization of joints into ideally rigid or ideally pinned significantly simplifies the calculation and design, but herewith limits the possibility to obtain the real behaviour of the whole structure. Structural and economical benefit of using the semi-rigid joints is widely known. The real behaviour of the framework allows designing more proper and safer structures, herewith reaching the economical benefit. Incorrect idealization of the behaviour may lead to design of an uneconomical structure and decrease its safety. Recently, the topic of semi-rigid joints is increasingly investigated. Many investigations have been performed with different joints of steel frameworks. Majority of investigations have been performed, when the joints were under bending moment – the force that has the biggest influence on joint behaviour. Only particular types of joints that are mostly used in practice were investigated. Despite the progress in this area, usage of semi-rigid joints in design practise is still problematic... [to full text]