Experimental study on composite beam-column joint subject to column removal scenarios

Abstract

The ability of buildings to resist progressive collapse is becoming more popular in research areas today due to increasing number of terrorist attack. Alternate Path method is one of the direct methods to mitigate progressive collapse.

Many researchers have studied beam-column joints under middle column removal scenario. The interested type of connection is mainly flush end plate and web cleat in bare steel specimens. Research regarding composite slab connections is still limited. Thus, in this study, four specimens using fin plate connection design based on Eurocode 4 are tested using MTS drop-weight machine. This loading scenario is more realistic for joints under progressive collapse which is a dynamic process. Two configurations of the specimen, namely, middle joint subject to sagging moment and side joint subject to hogging moment are considered. Behavior of the studied joint includes impact force, displacement of the middle column, strain and strain rate, and failure mode. Differences in the behaviour are presented and comparisons of the effect of composite slab and connection with WUF-B are elaborated. In addition to the composite structure, bare steel with fin plate joint experiment and finite element model (FEM) done by Chen Kang, the author’s mentor, was used as a control specimen for this project.