JOINT CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

7th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering (7CUEE) &

5th International Conference on Earthquake Engineering (5ICEE)
March 3-5, 2010, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan




EVALUATION OF ROTATION CAPACITY FOR REDUCED BEAM SECTION
WITH BOLTED WEB



Ki-Hoon Moon
1)
, Sang Whan Han
2)
, Seong-Hoon Hwang
3)
, and Sang-Jae Lee
4)



1) PhD Candidate, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
2) Professor of Architectural Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Korea
3) Researcher, Construction Research Center at Hanynag University, Seoul, Korea
4) Graduate student, Department of Architectural Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Korea
acttr@hanmail.net, swhan82@hotmail.com, Hoonic@gmail.com, tarbang@nate.com


Abstract: RBS connections can be classified into two types according to the web attachment details: reduced beam
section with welded web (RBS-W) connections and reduced beam section with bolted web (RBS-B) connections. Some
experimental specimens have been demonstrated that RBS-B connection was abnormally failed at the face of column and
did not provide the sufficient plastic rotation capacity required for special moment resisting frames that of region of high
seismicity. In ANSI/AISC 358-05, the usage of RBS-B is limited to the connections in Intermediate Moment Frames
(IMF) instead of SMF. The purpose of this study is to propose new design criteria for RBS-B connections for seismic
applications at IMF system. This study conducted a parametric study to determine parameters affected the rotational
capacity of RBS-B connections and proposed limiting values of main parameters to satisfy the rotational demand (0.02
radian) specified in ANSI/AISC 358


1. INTRODUCTION

Reduced Beam Section (RBS) moment connection (Fig
1) can be classified into two types, depending on the type of
web connection details: a welded (RBS-W) and a bolted
web (RBS-B) connection. There is experimental data
showing that RBS-B connections were experimented the
brittle fracture at the beam flange to column flange welds
beyond 0.04 radian of total rotation (Engelhardt et al. 2000).
In ANSI/AISC 358-05(AISC 2005), which is updated from
FEMA-350, only the RBS-W connection is applicable to
SMF system as a prequalified connection. RBS-B
connections shall be permitted only for to be used in
Intermediate Moment Frames (IMF) system. However, it is
necessary to evaluate the possibility of RBS-B connections
to be used in IMF system. Lee et al. (2005) reported that
some RBS-B specimens did not provide the total rotation of
0.02 which is required for IMF connections.
For this purpose, this study conducted a parametric
study to determine major parameters for the rotational
capacity of RBS-B connection. Particularly, from the
collected data complicity of RBS-B connection experienced
fracture, this study proposed an equation for computing the
rotational capacity of RBS-B connections.

2. PARAMETERS INFLUENCE OF ROTATION
CAPACITY OF RBS-B CONNECTIONS


Figure 1 Reduced Beam Section connection

In order to investigate the plastic rotation capacity,
p
of
the connections showing the brittle fracture, it was
performed using the response parameters used in previous
researches. Uang and Fan (2001) conducted the
comprehensive investigation on relationship between the
plastic rotation capacity of RBS moment connections and
the three slenderness parameters for the flange local
buckling (FLB), web local buckling, and lateral torsional
buckling (LTB). Plastic rotation capacity,
p
in this study was
defined as the total plastic rotation beyond which the
connection strength starts to degrade below 80% of the
maximum strength. (Uang and Fan, 2001) shown that based
on the result of nonlinear regression analysis for relationship
between the plastic rotation capacity and slenderness ratios
including FLB, WLB, and LTB, plastic rotation capacity of
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RBS moment connection tend to decrease with increasing
the values of each response parameter. In addition, equation
to predict the plastic rotation capacity of RBS moment
connections was proposed as follows:

( )
0.12
0.5
0.5
5.8
2
f
p y f
f w
b
h
F
t t
u

| |
| |
= |
|
|
\ .
\ .
(1)

where, b
f
/2t
f
is the flange width to thickness ratio, h/t
w
is
the fillet-to-fillet web depth over web thickness ratio, and
F
yf
is the expected yield strength of the flange of the beam.
Same trend regarding dependence of
p
on the
slenderness parameters was shown in the research
implemented by Lignos (2008). The definition of the plastic
rotation,
p
in research conducted by Lignos (2008) is shown
in Fig. 2 and plastic deformation,
p
is defined as the
difference between deformation at the point of maximum
strength and at yield strength. Lignos (2008) quantified the
dependence of
p
on beam depth, d, the shear span to depth
ratio of the beam, L/d, FLB, and WLB and proposed the
equation to predict
p
of the connections. The proposed
equation derived using the major influential parameters on
p

is given by

0.14
0.45
0.854
0.22
2 21
f
p
w f
b
h d
t t
u

| |
| |
| |
= |
| |
|
''
\ .
\ .
\ .
(2)

where, d is beam depth in inches. Both of these studies
considering the FLB and WLB shown that rotation capacity
of the connections tended to decrease as these slenderness
parameters increased.

F
o y
o
c
o
u
o
p
o
pc
o
s
K
pc
K
e
K
y
F
c
F

Figure 2Backbone curve of modified Ibarra-Krawinkler
model (Lignos, 2008)

In this study, the characteristics of hysteretic behavior
of RBS-B moment connection were reviewed prior to
assessing the rotation capacity of the RBS-B moment
connection. The hysteretic behavior of RBS-B moment
connections are characterized by two distinct ways, as
shown in Fig.3. Fig. 3(a) illustrates the backbone curves of
the RBS-B specimens, which were not occur the fracture at
the beam flange of the beam-to-column connection, and Fig.
3(b) shows those of the specimens showing brittle fracture at
the beam flange to column flange welds of column face. In
Fig. 3(a), gradual strength degradation in RBS-B moment
connections after attaining the maximum strength occurs
when the connection strength reduced due to local and
lateral torsional buckling at the reduced beam section of the
beam. In Fig. 3(b), RBS-B moment connection, however,
shown that brittle fracture occurred at the beam flange to
column flange welds of column face without showing the
local buckling, as the strength was increased due to strain
hardening effect. This suggests that rotation capacity of
RBS-B moment connections and key response parameters
on rotation capacity differ, depending on whether or not the
occurrence of brittle fracture at the beam flange of column
face (Fig. 3). Because the connection fracture already
occurred prior to exhibiting the local buckling, moment
strength at beam-to-connection is great impact on plastic
rotation capacity of the connection.

0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08
N
o
r
m
a
l
i
z
e
d

m
o
m
e
n
t
(
=
M
/
M
m
a
x
)
story drift angle (rad)
(a)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08
N
o
r
m
a
l
i
z
e
d

m
o
m
e
n
t
(
=
M
/
M
m
a
x
)
story drift angle (rad)
(b)

Figure 3 Backbone curves of RBS-B connections: (a)
non-fracture specimens, and (b) fracture specimens

3. EQUATION FOR COMPUTING ROTATION
CAPACITY

Figure 4 shows rotation capacity of specimen with
RBS-B and Welded Unreinforced Flange with Bolted web
(WUF-B) moment connections for each response parameter,
- 1004 -


which are excluded from the effect of local buckling terms,
as mentioned earlier because brittle fracture at the
connections occurred without local buckling. (SAC database,
1998) The reason for including the results of WUF-B
specimens is that the web connection of WUF-B is similar to
that of RBS-B connections. In Fig. 4, solid lines represent
the results of regression analysis for specimens with RBS-B
and WUFB moment connections. Overall, the plastic
rotation capacity of the connections decrease as the beam
depth, d, the shear span to depth ratio of each of the beam,
L/d, and the expected yield strength of the flange of the
beam, F
yf
increases (Fig. 4 (a), (b), and (c)). Especially,
dependence of plastic rotation capacity on ratio of maximum
moment strength, M
max
to plastic moment, M
plastic
is
significant. M
max
is measured in previous tests of RBS-B and
WUF-B connections and M
plastic
is estimated from moment
at the face of the column, transferred from plastic hinge
within the beam and is computed from as follows:

,
b
plastic y actual RBS
b h
L
M F Z
L s
=

(3a)
, plastic y actual b
M F Z = (3b)

Where, F
y,actual
is the actual yield strength measured at a
coupon test; Z
RBS
is the plastic section modulus at the center
of the reduced beam section; L
b
is clear length of the beam;
S
h
is distance from the plastic hinge to the column face (see
Fig. 1); and Z
b
is the plastic section modulus at the
unreduced beam section.
Fig. 5 (a) shows plastic rotation capacity,
p
for moment
strength ratio, M
max
/M
plastic
of the moment connections
showing the brittle fracture and total rotation capacity,
total

for M
max
/M
plastic
of the connections is shown in Fig. 5 (b).
Because d, L/d, and Fyf terms is less significant effect on
plastic rotation capacity of the connections, these terms are
exclude from the equation in herein. In this study, simplified
equation for predicting the plastic and total rotation capacity
for RBS-B moment connections showing brittle fracture is
proposed by authors as follows:

max
0.0674 0.0631
plastic
plstic
M
M
u = (4)
max
0.0685 0.055
total
plastic
M
M
u = (5)

Computation of plastic moment capacity at the center
of reduced beam section, as specified in ANS/AISC 358-05,
includes strain hardening effect, Cpr as follows:


pr pr y y RBS
M C R F Z = (7a)
1.2
2
y u
pr
y
F F
C
F
+
= s (7b)

Where, C
pr
is a coefficient to accounts for the
amplification of the peak connection strength; R
y
F
y
is the
effective yield strength of the beam; and Z
RBS
is the plastic
section modulus at the center of the reduced beam section;
and F
y
and F
u
is nominal yield and tensile strength of steel,
respectively.

0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
40 50 60 70 80 90 100
P
e
a
k

p
l
a
s
t
i
c

r
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
(
r
a
d
)
d (cm)
WUF-B
RBS-B(F)
(a)
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
5 7 9 11 13
P
e
a
k

p
l
a
s
t
i
c

r
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
(
r
a
d
)
L
b
/d
(b)
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
P
e
a
k

p
l
a
s
t
i
c

r
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
(
r
a
d
)
F
yf
/E (x10
3
)
(c)
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.5 1 1.5 2
P
e
a
k

p
l
a
s
t
i
c

r
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
(
r
a
d
)
M
max
/M
plastic
(d)

Figure 4 Peak plastic rotation capacity of WUF-B and
fracture RBS-B connections: (a) d, (b) L/d, (c) F
yf
/E, and (d)
M
max
/M
plastic


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It is required that moment demand at the face of
column transferred from probable maximum plastic moment
at the center of reduced beam section does not exceed the
plastic moment at the unreduced beam section using the
following equations:


f pr RBS h
M M V s = + (8)

pe y y b
M R F Z = (9)

f d pe
M M | s (10)

where, V
RBS
is larger of the two values of shear force at
the center of the reduced beam section at each end of the
beam: resistance factor,
d
is taken by 1.
Moment diagram for RBS-B moment connections and
moment demand for rotation at beam-to-column connection
are shown in Fig. 9(a) and (b). Moment strength ratio, of
RBS-B moment Connection designed according to above
design criteria is equivalent to C
pr
as follows:


,
,
pr
f pr pr y y RBS
h
plastic p RBS y y RBS
p RBS
h
L
M
M M C R F Z
L S
L
M M R F Z
M
L S

= = =

(8)

plastic
= 0.0674M
max
/M
p
- 0.0631
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.5 1 1.5 2
P
e
a
k

p
l
a
s
t
i
c

r
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
(
r
a
d
)
M
max
/M
p
(a)
R
2
(correlation cofficient)=0.8563

total
= 0.0685M
max
/M
p
- 0.055
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.5 1 1.5 2
P
e
a
k

t
o
t
a
l

r
o
t
a
t
i
o
n
(
r
a
d
)
M
max
/M
plastic
(b)
R
2
=0.8401
IMF
OMF

Figure 5 Rotation capacity of fracture RBS-B connections:
(a) Plastic rotation , and (b) Total rotation

For ASTM A572 Grade 50 (F
y
=345Mpa, F
u
= 448
MPa), moment strength ratio, M
f
/M
plastic
is the value of 1.15,
and total rotation is 0.023 rad. However, lower moment
strength ratio may be shown when fracture was occurred at
beam-to-column connection and the total rotation capacity
will be lower than 0.02 rad. Therefore, in order to use
RBS-B moment connections as prequalified connections of
IMF systems, design criteria should be considered moment
to cause the brittle fracture at the beam-to-column
connection.

4. CONCLUSIONS

From this study, the following conclusion is made:
This study collected test results of 75 RBS-B
connections specimens. From the parameters study, moment
strength ratio (M
max
/M
plastic
) is the most influential parameter
from contribute rotation capacity of RBS-B connection
experiencing fracture. Based on the collected data, This
study proposed equations for computing rotation capacity of
RBS-B connection experiencing fracture.

Acknowledgements:
Authors acknowledge the financial supports provided by a
grant funded by Research Institute of Industrial Science and
Technology (RIST) and a grant (07-UR-B04) funded by Ministry of
Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs. The views expressed are
those of authors, and do not necessarily represent those of the
sponsors.

References:
AISC. (2005). "Prequalified connections for special and
intermediate steel moment frames for seismic applications."
ANSI/AISC 358-05, American Institute of Steel Construction,
Chicago, Ill.
Engelhardt, M. D., Fry, G. T., Jones, S. L., Venti, M. J., and Holliday,
S. D. (2000). "Behavior and design of radius-cut, reduced beam
section connections," SAC/BD-00/17, SAC Joint Venture,
Sacramento, Calif.
FEMA. (2000). "Recommended seismic design criteria for new
steel moment-frame buildings," FEMA-350, Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Washington, D.C.
Lee, C.-H., Jeon, S.-W., Kim, J.-H., and Uang, C.-M. (2005).
"Effects of panel zone strength and beam web connection
method on seismic performance of reduced beam section steel
moment connections," Journal of Structural Engineering,
131(12), 1854-1865.
Lignos, D. (2008). "Sidesway collapse of deteriorating structural
systems under seismic excitations," PhD thesis, Civil and
Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford,
Calif.
SAC. (1998). "SAC Connections databases."
Uang, C. M., and Fan, C. C. (2001). "Cyclic stability criteria for
steel moment connections with reduced beam section," Journal
of Structural Engineering, 127(9), 1021-1027.
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