DESIGN OF A MULTI-STOREY STEEL STRUCTURE

Computation run on an un-braced frame with 3 spans and 6 storey, the loads being presented in the table below:

Calculus of the structural imperfections

This evaluation is made by considering an equivalent geometric imperfection, expressed by the initial bow: Where:

but:

Initial bow may be replaced by a system of horizontal equivalent forces at every level. Total load at every level is: 60kN/m6m3=1080 kN. Horizontal equivalent force is: 0.00261080=2.81 kN.

DESIGN OF THE STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS: BEAMS TO COLUMNS JOINTS

End plates 25 mm and high strength M24, gr.10.9 bolts, not preloaded. Weak component of the connection: web panel of the column. The joint is considered a rigid one having a full strength by most of the engineers but its characteristics places it in the semi-rigid connections area, with partial strength. Increasing the strength of the web may be done: A- use a HEM section with a stronger web or a build-up section ( plate girder) increase the steel consumption; B- strengthen the web with supplementary steel plates welding increase the costs of the execution and it induces a fragile behaviour under repeated loading (dynamic actions).

Supplementary web plates, ENV 1993-1-8

DESIGN OF THE BEAM TO COLUMN CONNECTION

cr

Fcr FEd

OSERVATIONS: Strength of the joint almost equal with the strength of the beam de (89% from the plastic resistance of the beam and the stiffness of the joint with respect to the stiffness of the beam is 13.2, that is smaller than 25, whic makes a joint to be considered fully rigid in an unbraced frame. Due to the fact that the external bending moment, Mj,Ed is smaller than 2/3 from the resistance of the joint, Mj,Rd, the stiffness of the joint Sj is equal with the initial sitffness Sj,ini. In this case both the situations will be considered in the design: 1) the joint is fully rigid; 2) The joint is semi-rigid, this behaviour being modelled. The structural analysis must consider the sensitivity to lateral sway (I or II order) and also the plastic resistance of the structure (elastic or plastic). In this regard, a frame may be considered with fixed joints or the sway may be considered as depending on the ratio between the vertical total force FEd applied on the structure and the critical elastic force Fcr causing lateral instability (sway). The structure with rigid connections, the buckling analysis shows a factor cr=11.1 > 10, then the structure is classified as with rigid connections. And normally according to ENV 1993-1-1, an elastic I order analysis with global imperfections may be run . Still, being close to the limit, an elastic II order analysis will be run also. For the semi-rigid connections, the buckling analysis show a factor of cr= 8, 96 and because is a value under 10, the structure will be considered with swaying connections and a II order elastic analysis is imposed.

Buckling analysis with SAP 2000

First buckling shape for the structure: a) with fully rigid connections; ) with semi-rigid connections

I and II order analysis of the structure with SAP 2000

 The reserve in the resistance of the structure up to a plastic hinge development, a plastic analysis must be run both for the rigid frame and for the sway frame. Plastic analysis gives cr<15 so a II order analysis must be run A comparison between the II and I order analysis are presented. Because the joints have a resistance lower than the resistance of the beams, the joint must remain in elastic under external loading. For the beams the plastic hinges develop close to the connection with the columns (M) and for the columns, the plastic hinges are at the top and bottom (P-M)

Definition of plastic hinges for beams (M)

Definition of plastic hinges for columns (P-M)

Distribution of the bending moment on the beam in the stage of I plastic hinge