2011

A Holistic Approach to Evaluating and Enhancing the Progressive Collapse Resistance of Steel Structures
Simple shear connections are ubiquitous in steel construction and their performance under load conditions that could lead to progressive collapse in the event of a localised overload is of critical importance. While research at the University of Alberta and elsewhere has already begun to assess the ability of structural steel shear connections to resist extreme combinations of demands, including large rotations and tensile forces that would arise if a column were to be compromised, this project is designed to contribute a systematic experimental performance evaluation of a variety of common connection types.

The overarching purpose of this research is to develop an improved understanding of features that contribute to the overall robustness of steel shear connections under extreme and atypical loads. This will be achieved with a comprehensive investigation that includes various connection types, geometries, and loading conditions, and evaluates the observed connection performance in a unified way—i.e., a holistic approach. Full-scale tests will be conducted on the most common steel shear connections used in buildings, including shear tabs, single angles (welded to the column and bolted to the beam), single angles (bolted), double angles (bolted), and partial-depth end plates. A schematic diagram of the test set-up is shown in the figure above (Oosterhof and Driver, 2011).

The research will contribute to the development of codes and standards in the area of structural integrity requirements for steel structures to enhance safety, while maintaining economic viability. The research also aims to enable steel construction to maintain its competitive position with building systems constructed from other materials as progressive collapse mitigation design requirements evolve.

References:
Oosterhof, S.A. and Driver, R.G. 2011. A New Approach to Testing Steel Connections Subjected to Extreme Loading Scenarios. Proc., 2nd International Engineering Mechanics and Materials Specialty Conference, Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, Ottawa, Ontario.