Assessment of the T-stub joint component at ambient and elevated temperatures

This paper presents a study with the aim of evaluating the behaviour of a welded T-stub component subject to static loading, at ambient and elevated temperatures, and carried out at the University of Coimbra [3]. The key variables include the thickness of the flange, the type and diameter of the bolts and the temperature of the T-stub. The experimental results are used to validate a finite element model that provides insight into the behaviour of the T-stub, in terms of resistance, stiffness, deformation capacity and failure modes at different temperatures. Good agreement between the numerical results and experimental tests was reached. The results show that the T-stub fire resistance and stiffness's (initial and post-limit) reduce with the increase of temperature and the T-stub's ductility and failure modes are also dependent on the temperature. Using the numerical results ductility indices are defined and calculated; the evolution of these ductility indices, as the temperature rises, is more pronounced for less ductile plastic failure modes. Finally, the numerical results are compared with those reached by simplified analytical models available in the literature.