The static test of 13 square hollow section(SHS) X-joints with different β and different types of plate reinforcement under in-plane moment in brace was carried out. Experimental test schemes, failure modes of specimens, moment-vertical displacement curves, moment-deformation of the chord, and strain strength distribution curves were presented. The effect of β and plate reinforcement types on in-plane flexural property of SHS X-joints was studied. Results show that punching shear of chord face disappears, brace material fracture appears and concave and convex deformation of chord decrease when either collar plates or doubler plates were welded on chord face. Moment-vertical displacement curves of all specimens have obvious elastic, elastic-plastic and plastic stages. As β increases, the in-plane flexural ultimate capacity and initial stiffness of joints of the same plate reinforcement type increase, but ductility of joints decreases. With the same β, the in-plane flexural initial stiffness and ultimate capacity of doubler plate reinforced joints, collar plate reinforced joints, and unreinforced joints decrease progressively. Thickness of reinforcement plate has no obvious effect on in-plane flexural initial stiffness and ultimate capacity of joints. As thickness of reinforcement plate increases, the ductility of reinforced X-joints decreases. The concave and convex deformation of every specimen has good symmetry;as β increases, the yield and ultimate deformation of chord decrease.
The details of a research study of galvanized steel tube under web crippling were presented. A total of 48 galvanized steel square hollow sections with different boundary conditions, loading conditions, bearing lengths and web slenderness were tested. The experimental scheme, failure modes, load-displacement curves and strain intensity distribution curves were also presented. The investigation was focused on the effects of loading condition, bearing length and slenderness on web crippling ultimate capacity, initial compressive stiffness and ductility of galvanized steel tube. The results show that web crippling ultimate capacity increases linearly with the increase of the bearing length under EOF and IOF loading condition. In the end-flange and ITF loading conditions, strain intensity of the centerline of web reaches the peak and decreases progressively from central web to flanges. Finite element models were developed to numerically simulate the tests in terms of failure modes and ultimate capacity. Web crippling strength of galvanized steel tube increases linearly with the increase of the ratio of the bearing length to web thickness and decrease of web slenderness. The effect of ratio of galvanized layer thickness to web thickness on web crippling strength is small. Based on the results of the parametric study, a number of calculation formulas proposed in this work can be successfully employed as a design rule for predicting web crippling ultimate capacity of galvanized steel tube under four loading and boundary conditions.
The static tests of nine traditional and bird beak square hollow structure(SHS) T-joints with different β values and connection types under axial compression at brace end were carried out. Experimental test schemes, failure modes of specimens, jack load-vertical displacement curves, jack load-deformation of chord and strain intensity distribution curves of joints were presented. The effects of β and connection types on axial compression property of joints were studied. The results show that the ultimate axial compression capacity of common bird beak SHS T-joints and diamond bird beak SHS T-joints is larger than that of traditional SHS T-joint specimens with big values of β. The ultimate axial compression capacity of diamond bird beak SHS T-joints is larger than that of common bird beak SHS T-joints. As β increases, the increase of the ultimate axial compression capacity of diamond bird beak SHS T-joints over that of common bird beak joints grows. The ultimate axial compression capacity and the initial axial stiffness of all kinds of joints increase as β increases, and the initial axial stiffness of the diamond bird beak SHS T-joints is the largest. The ductilities of common bird beak and diamond bird beak SHS T-joints increase as β increases, but the ductility of the traditional SHS T-joints decreases as β increases.