Shear behaviour of trapezoidal column panels. I: Experiments and finite element modelling

• Characterization of the shear behaviour of trapezoidal column panels
• Experimental work and finite element modelling
• Characterization of the kinematics of the deformation
• Development of a mechanical joint model

The behaviour of joints exerts an important influence in the overall performance of steel and composite structures, both in deformations and in ultimate resistance. As a consequence, a considerable effort has been carried out in recent years to better characterize the behaviour of joints in these kinds of structures. Modern codes, including Eurocodes 3 (EC3) and 4 (EC4), have included these research advances so that they may be used in common practice.The method adopted in EC3 and EC4 to characterize the connections is the so-called component method. One of the most important components is the column web panel in shear, and its behaviour has been investigated thoroughly for the case of rectangular shear panels arising when the beams have equal depths. However, the case of trapezoidal column panels, formed by beams of different depths at each side of the column, has not been researched as much. Formulae or design recommendations for the shear behaviour of steel beam-to-column joints with beams of unequal size are not currently included in design codes.The aim of this paper is the characterization of the shear behaviour of trapezoidal column panels. In order to isolate the shear behaviour from other components, stiffened beam to column connections with commercial sections are experimentally tested. Also, finite element modelling and analysis are carried out to compare results, and a mechanical model is proposed. Current modelling procedures are tested and the results compared with those coming from the experiments and numerical simulations.