Steel tubular structures are becoming more widely used in recent years because of their excellent structural performance as well as appearance. For structures with steel hollow section (SHS) columns and concrete filled tubular (CFT) columns, several types of joint may be used to connect to wide flange beams. The topic of this research is a relatively new type of joint, the 'reverse channel' connection, in which the legs of a channel are welded to the tube thus converting the closed tubular column into an open section for connection purpose. However, since tubular columns have only recently become more popular in frames, there is a lack of research to quantify the moment-rotation characteristics of connections between I beams and tubular columns. A total of eight tests on loaded steel beam to RHS column connections using reverse channel and endplate, up to collapse, were carried out. The objectives of these tests were to investigate the effects of different connection details on connection performance and to provide experimental data for validation of numerical simulations. Validation of numerical modelling was carried out to check accuracy of the numerical simulation model developed using the general finite element package ABAQUS. The validated ABAQUS model was then used to perform various parametric studies to provide insight into structural behaviour. A systematic approach to quantify the load carrying capacity of the reverse channel web and the column face were adopted based on yield line theory. This thesis presents the derivation and validation of the analytical approach. The moment resistance of the whole connection can be obtained by assembling all the components together. A procedure for calculation was proposed to provide feasibility for designer and the analytical results were compared with the test results.

The aim of this report is to investigate the ductile performance of concrete tilt-up panels reinforced with cold-drawn mesh to improve the current seismic assessment procedure. The commercial impact of the project was also investigated. Engineering Advisory Group (EAG) guidelines state that a crack in a panel under face loading may be sufficient to fracture the mesh. The comments made by EAG regarding the performance of cold-drawn mesh may be interpreted as suggesting that assessment of such panels be conducted with a ductility of 1.0. Observations of tilt-up panel performance following the Christchurch earthquakes suggest that a ductility higher than μ=1.0 is likely to be appropriate for the response of panels to out-of-plane loading. An experimental test frame was designed to subject ten tilt-panel specimens to a cyclic quasi-static loading protocol. Rotation ductility, calculated from the force-displacement response from the test specimens, was found to range between 2.9 and 5.8. Correlation between tensile tests on 663L mesh, and data collected from instrumentation during testing confirmed that the mesh behaves as un-bonded over the pitch length of 150mm. Recommendation: Based on a moment-rotation assessment approach with an un-bonded length equal to the pitch of the mesh, a rotation ductility of μ=2.5 appears to be appropriate for the seismic assessment of panels reinforced with cold-drawn mesh.

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[pt] A avaliação da rigidez de elementos lineares de concreto armado realizada por meio da abordagem momento-curvatura apresenta bons resultados, destacando como premissa a interação completa entre materiais. Entretanto, tal premissa ignora efeitos importantes que tem como base a fissuração do concreto e o deslizamento entre interfaces. Devido ao surgimento de fissuras o elemento deixa de ter deformações contínuas e passa a ter deslocamentos discretos na face fissurada, tendo como consequência deslizamentos na interface concreto-barra. Esses deslizamentos são incorporados em um modelo mecânico por meio das propriedades bond-slip da interface, que é base para o mecanismo de interação parcial conhecido como enrijecimento à tração. Além disso, na região comprimida, ao atingir deformações elevadas, o concreto pode estar sujeito à formação de cunhas de concreto delimitadas por fissuras, que formam o plano de cunha. Esse, por sua vez, sofre deslizamentos que são responsáveis pelas deformações efetivas crescentes no concreto, que representam outro mecanismo de interação parcial, o amolecimento do concreto. Para que esses mecanismos de interação parcial sejam inseridos na análise de vigas de concreto, um modelo mecânico chamado abordagem momento-rotação é apresentado. São realizadas ainda, comparações com o modelo tradicional de momento-curvatura, implementações para análise de vigas que contempla ambos modelos, e por fim, realizam-se validações com ensaios experimentais da literatura. / [en] The evalutation of the stiffness of one-dimensional reinforced concrete elements is performed through the moment-curvature approach. The presented results are satisfactory, owing to that an analysis of full-interaction between materials is a premise. However, this consideration ignores important effects as crack formation and sliding between the interfaces. The cracked element no longer undergoes continuous strain and beggings to experience discreet displacements at the crack face. The crack formation is possible due to the sliding capacity between the reinforcement-concrete interface. These slides are being incorporated in a mechanical model through the bond-slip interface properties by the PartialInteraction mechanism known as tension-stiffening. Furthermore, in the compressed region, on reaching elevated strains, the concrete may be subject to formation of concrete wedges delimited by cracks, which form the wedge plane. This plane undergoes slides that are responsible for crescent effective strains in the concrete, these represent a further partial-interaction mechanism: the concretesoftening. The partial-interaction mechanisms presented are used in the analysis of concrete beams through a mechanical model known as rotation-moment approach. Comparisons with the traditional moment-curvature model are presented. Also, implementations of the beams analysis by moment-curvature and moment-rotation models are developed. Lastly, validations are perfomed with experimental tests, based on literatures.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Considerando uma nova realidade com o incremento do uso de perfis tubulares, este trabalho apresenta uma análise de ligações soldadas tipo T com perfis tubulares circulares (CHS) para a coluna e perfil I ou H para a viga com flexão no plano, efetuado com base nas normas EC3, CIDECT e a NBR 16239 comparando com o critério de deformação limite, proposto por Lu et al., através de um modelo em elementos finitos desenvolvido no programa Ansys versão 12.0. A não-linearidade geométrica foi introduzida no modelo através da Formulação de Lagrange Atualizado. Com base nos resultados numéricos avaliados foram traçadas curvas momento-rotação para cada modelo com o objetivo de obter o momento resistente de cada ligação bem como a classificação da ligação quanto a capacidade de rotação, a influência dos parâmetros geométricos em cada modelo e o modo de falha que controlará o dimensionamento da ligação. / Considering a new reality with the increased use of tubular profiles, this work presents an analysis of T welded connections with circular hollow sections (CHS) for the column profile and I or H for the beam subjected to in plane bending, this study was based on the EC3, CIDECT and the NBR 16239 standards and was also compared to the deformation limit criteria proposed by Lu et al.. The main aim was to develop through a finite element model in the Ansys program version 12.0. The geometric nonlinearity has been introduced into the model through a Updated Lagrangian Formulation. Based on the evaluated numerical results, moment-rotation curves were produced for each model in order to determine the moment resistance of each joint and their associated joint classification, rotation capacity, influence of the geometrical parameters for each model and the failure modes that will control the joint design.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Considerando uma nova realidade com o incremento do uso de perfis tubulares, este trabalho apresenta uma análise de ligações soldadas tipo T com perfis tubulares circulares (CHS) para a coluna e perfil I ou H para a viga com flexão no plano, efetuado com base nas normas EC3, CIDECT e a NBR 16239 comparando com o critério de deformação limite, proposto por Lu et al., através de um modelo em elementos finitos desenvolvido no programa Ansys versão 12.0. A não-linearidade geométrica foi introduzida no modelo através da Formulação de Lagrange Atualizado. Com base nos resultados numéricos avaliados foram traçadas curvas momento-rotação para cada modelo com o objetivo de obter o momento resistente de cada ligação bem como a classificação da ligação quanto a capacidade de rotação, a influência dos parâmetros geométricos em cada modelo e o modo de falha que controlará o dimensionamento da ligação. / Considering a new reality with the increased use of tubular profiles, this work presents an analysis of T welded connections with circular hollow sections (CHS) for the column profile and I or H for the beam subjected to in plane bending, this study was based on the EC3, CIDECT and the NBR 16239 standards and was also compared to the deformation limit criteria proposed by Lu et al.. The main aim was to develop through a finite element model in the Ansys program version 12.0. The geometric nonlinearity has been introduced into the model through a Updated Lagrangian Formulation. Based on the evaluated numerical results, moment-rotation curves were produced for each model in order to determine the moment resistance of each joint and their associated joint classification, rotation capacity, influence of the geometrical parameters for each model and the failure modes that will control the joint design.