Ductile connection to improve the fire performance of bare-steel and composite frames
Journal of Structural Fire Engineering
ISSN: 2040-2317
Article publication date: 6 December 2021
Issue publication date: 29 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
In order to improve the robustness of bare-steel and composite structures in fire, a novel axially and rotationally ductile connection has been proposed in this paper.
Design/methodology/approach
The component-based models of the bare-steel ductile connection and composite ductile connection have been proposed and incorporated into the software Vulcan to facilitate global frame analysis for performance-based structural fire engineering design. These component-based models are validated against detailed Abaqus FE models and experiments. A series of 2-D bare-steel frame models and 3-D composite frame models with ductile connections, idealised rigid and pinned connections, have been created using Vulcan to compare the fire performance of ductile connection with other connection types in bare-steel and composite structures.
Findings
The comparison results show that the proposed ductile connection can provide excellent ductility to accommodate the axial deformation of connected beam under fire conditions, thus reducing the axial forces generated in the connection and potentially preventing the premature brittle failure of the connection.
Originality/value
Compared with conventional connection types, the proposed ductile connection exhibits considerable deformability, and can potentially enhance the robustness of structures in fire.
Keywords
Citation
Liu, Y., Huang, S.-S. and Burgess, I. (2022), "Ductile connection to improve the fire performance of bare-steel and composite frames", Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 249-266. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSFE-06-2021-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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