Experimental investigation of screwed beam-column connection using cold-formed steel back-to-back sections with gusset-plate

• Published in: Structures (Oxford) 2023-01, Vol.47, p.2025-2036
• Main Authors: Maali, Merve Sagiroglu, Maali, Mahyar, Yazici, Casim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beam-to-column; Cold-formed steel; Experimental; Moment-rotation behavior; Screwed connection
• ISSN: 2352-0124; 2352-0124
• DOI: 10.1016/j.istruc.2022.12.030

Fifteen tests have reported the experimental behavior of steel beam-column connections using cold-formed steel (CFS) sections with gusset plates attached to self-drilling screws. Using screws instead of bolts can be economical in cold-formed steel structures due to the nonexisting failure of bolts in tests. The aim of the study was to understand how gusset plate thickness, beam thickness, and stiffener use could affect screwed beam-column connections using cold-formed steel section behavior; experimental research using cantilever testing was carried out with full-scale specimens of the connections. The results presented here show which stiffeners can prevent the beam from collapsing at the gusset plate's end-point, but they cannot affect the failure modes. However, the stiffening cannot modify the failure mode; it does not affect the behavior and characteristic values of the moment-rotation curve. Additionally, the moment resistance significantly decreased in the beam thicknesses without stiffeners to less than 1.5 mm. Furthermore, the ductility of the joint with the thicknesses of the gusset plate (P) is 1.5 mm, and the C/P ratio (C is beam thickness) is less than 1, which decreased with the used stiffener in the test specimens. Thus, the gusset plate, beam thickness, and C/P ratio are essential in determining the failure mode shape and the moment resistance value. Additionally, the results presented here are compared with the literature.