J. Construct. Steel Res. Vol. 40, No. 3, pp.

169-187, 1996
© 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Printed in Great Britain
PII: S0143-974X(96)0~48-X 0143-974X/96 $15.00 + 0.00
ELSEVIER

3D Simulation of Bolted Connections to Unstiffened

Columns--I. T-stub Connections

A r c h i b a l d N. S h e r b o u r n e a & M o h a m m e d R. Bahaari b

"Civil Engineering Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada N2L 3G1

bCivil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

(Received 15 February 1995; revised version received 16 July 1996;

accepted 23 October 1996)

ABSTRACT

The paper presents a finite element methodology in a three-dimensional (3D)

framework to study numerically the stiffness and strength of the T-stub to
unstiffened column flange bolted connection as part of a comprehensive
research program to investigate the behavior of endplate bolted connections.
In such connections, the axes of rotation of the T-stem and column flange
are at right angles; the planes containing the tensile forces are also perpen-
dicular to each other. Therefore, they are highly interactive spatially. The
main objective here is to study the applicability of the model to such a con-
nection, so that most of the important features which are not accessible to
routine experiments, like prying action and gradual plasticity of components,
can be monitored. ANSYS, version 4.4, a large-scale general purpose finite
element code is selected for this analysis. Initially, the simplest connection
with the bolt groups in tension, which is a symmetric T-stub hanger with a
single line of bolts parallel on each side of the web, is considered. Then the
T-stub connection to an unstiffened column flange is discussed. Analytical
results of a full-scale extended endplate connected to unstiffened column
flange will be presented in Part II, a companion paper (Journal of Construc-
tional Steel Research, 1996, 40, 189-223) in which the structural properties
of such connections will be discussed. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

NOTATION

npl Bolt pretension force, kN

The distance from the flange edge to the root of column
web
a Prying force per bolt, kN
Ta Applied tensile load per bolt, kN

169
170 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

Tb Tensile force in bolt, kN

T~c Thickness of T-flange connected to column, m m
T~b Thickness of T-flange in a T-hanger connection, m m
% Strain corresponding to bolt proof stress, m m / m m
ey Material yield strain, mrn/mm
% Bolt proof stress, MPa
% Material yield stress, MPa

1 INTRODUCTION

Prestressed bolted beam-to-colunm connections are popular in steel design

due to the economy and simplification of construction that usually results from
their use. In this kind of connection, the column flange is required to transfer
to the column web the concentrated tensile forces or distributed compressive
loads acting over some bearing zone. These forces result from the application
of the beam end-moment and the interaction between the connection elements.
When deemed necessary, the column flange is reinforced to achieve the load
transfer without exceeding strength and serviceability requirements. The cri-
teria for determining whether the colunm flange requires reinforcement centers
on the ability of the tension and compression region of the column to develop
the necessary design moment within acceptable stress and deformation limits.
This paper presents a numerical modeling of the T-stub bolted to column
flange with no stiffeners in tension (Fig. 1). Initially, as an introduction to the
problem, the simplest connection with the bolt groups in tension, which is a
symmetric T-stub hanger with a single line of bolts parallel and on each side
of the web, is considered (Fig. 2). Then the T-stub connection to an unstiffened
wide flange column is discussed.
Most of the reported research regarding endplate connections has been per-
formed on assemblies either attached to a rigid base I (stiff column flange) or
possessing symmetry about the interface of the connected elements, e.g.
splices. However, the case of a beam bolted to an unstiffened column with
the aim of delivering the design moment is different. The stem of the T-stub,
or the beam flange, is perpendicular to the web of the column and thus sym-
metry does not exist about the interface; nor does the unstiffened column
flange subjected to concentrated bolt forces provide a rigid support. Others
assume that the results of the tee-hanger analysis, in which a T-stub flange is
connected to a rigid base or is acting symmetrically against an identical
element, can be applied similarly to endplate design. It is clear that such a
model cannot be used for unstiffened column flanges, especially since some
of these analyses are based on simple beam theory. Zoetemeijer2 proposed
some design formulas for flanges of T-stub and column based on yield line
 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 171

I" n Y-'lt'2(}~_,_, C.L.

i
~
Interface Elemmmts

~-.-....~ Bolt Head ( brick elements)

b / Bolt Shank ( Truss elemonts)
/
Lea

f
I \ T-web
.
/ ~ T-flange
======it= Column - : Z
x Hans*

(a)X-Section $ymm (b) Elevation

Lines

(c) Top View

Fig. 1. Typical configuration of a T-stub to unstiffened column flange connection.

analysis. In his approach the column flange is treated as a T-stub flange with
specified effective length and both components can be designed independent
of each other. His proposal is not applicable for beams with spans larger than
30 times the beam depth. In its Appendix J, Eurocode No.33 accepted the
latter approach to calculate the tension resistance of the column flange, either
stiffened or unstiffened, and the beam endplate in terms of equivalent T-stubs,
independently. The force distribution among the bolts at the ultimate limit
state is taken as proportional to the distance from the center of rotation, in
general, or else plastic. The code, in fact, uses the component method (see
Ref. 4 and also Ref. 5) in which depending on the individual stiffness of
various components, the applied load is distributed among them.
An external tensile load on the connection will reduce the pressure between
the T-stub flanges caused by bolt prestressing. However, depending on the
flexural rigidity of the T-stub and the size of bolt, additional forces may be
developed near the flange tip. This phenomenon is referred to as prying and
172 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

; Elements

~ Bolt Head ( brick elements)

, Bolt Shmak ( Truss elements)

V'///////////ffL b
T.
\

of I-
T-web
T-flange

I
(a) X-Section Symnt Ca) Elevati~
Line
v

(e) Top View

Fig. 2. Typical configuration of a T-stub hanger connection.

it increases the bolt force and may be detrimental to the strength and perform-
ance of the fasteners. 6 Agerskov 7 considered three basic cases of forces acting
on endplates and suggested corresponding design equations. He found that the
plate thickness and bolt diameter have the greatest influence on the prying
action. This reaction, which affects the bolt and, consequently, endplate
design, cannot be exactly allocated through analytical models, other than the
finite element, not even when supported with experiment.
T-stub to column connections usually fail due to plate plasticity in bending
and shear, bolt or weld fracture, excessive plasticity of the column flange in
bending and/or column web shear failure. The bolts are loaded primarily in
tension; however, in thin plates, a considerable amount of biaxial bending is
induced by their deformation. 8 In such connections, the axes of rotation of
the T-flange and column flange are at right angles; the planes containing the
tensile forces are also perpendicular to each other. Therefore, only a three-
dimensional (3D) model can handle the effects of so many parameters on the
behavior and load-carrying capacity of the connection. A two-dimensional
(2D) analysis is, by its very nature, incapable of representing the variation in
the transverse direction. Some researchers have laded to resolve this dilemma
 3D simulation of bolted connections~I 173

by analyzing certain bench-mark cases using a 3D program and determined

correlation factors between 2D and 3D results. 9 However, the dependency of
behavior on the interaction of overall parameters and the change of this depen-
dency with increasing load and progress of plasticity indicate that no constant
factor can reliably calibrate a 2D result to a 3D model. In a limited numerical
study of 2D modeling, 1° however, a reduction of beam web stiffness led to
acceptable results, though it has not been extensively studied to generalize
its applicability.

2 T-STUB BOLTED CONNECTIONS

2.1 Description of model

2.1.1 T-stub hanger

In order to understand the behavior of the T-stub flange, preliminary analyses
were carried out on T-hangers bolted together with four bolts (Fig. 2). Because
of symmetry about planes passing between the flanges (PI), midline of tee
web (P2) and midpoint of horizontal distance of the bolts (P3), respectively,
only one-quarter of the connection was considered for analysis. The assembly
induces rigidity of the base by symmetry. However, the situation for the bolts
is not the same as with a rigid base because the bolts should now follow the
deflections of the two flange plates. Plastic quadrilateral shell elements, so
called STIF43 in ANSYS, are used to model the T-stub flange. The weld
effect was considered by tapering the plate thickness in the respective region.
In order to include the constraining effect of T-web on the flange, it is modeled
through 3D, eight-node isoparametric solid elements, named STIF45 in
ANSYS. The same 3D elements are used to idealize the bolt head and/or nut.
Since the head and/or nut stay in close contact with their connecting plates
through all load steps, they are defined as continuous with flange nodes
respectively, i.e. bolt head brick elements share one of their faces with the T-
flange. Since the bolt head area is considered as hexagonal, the standard
dimensions of the cross fiat and height can be defined. The bolt shank is
modeled using six 3D spar elements connecting the farthest comer nodes of
a smaller hexagon inside the plane of the bolt head to nodes of P1. Though
these elements overlap the plate hole elements, mathematically there is no
connection between them. Using six spar elements to model the bolt shank
allows the user to find both the magnitude and distribution of the bolt force
within the section. This is especially important for thin endplates in which
the bolts in tension undergo considerable biaxial bending. The effective area
of the bolt is split equally among the above spar elements.
174 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

One of the interesting and, at the same time, difficult aspects of bolted
connection analysis is the unpredictability of the actual support conditions at
the back of the endplate. Obviously, the T-flange would pull away from the
adjoining flange around the T-web to a varying extent depending upon the
flange dimensions, bolt size and position, material properties and, especially,
the load level. At the same time, when it tends to bear against the other flange,
it should not move freely through the adjacent component. Therefore, the
condition at the back of the T-flange constitutes a 'variable boundary value
problem' that can be solved only by an iterative approach. The appropriate
element available in ANSYS is STIF52, a 3D interface, modeling the contact
between the two surfaces. 11 The inter-surface stiffness is defined as one order
of magnitude larger than the T-stub or column flange axial stiffness. A coef-
ficient of friction equal to 0.5 is defined for sliding resistance while the inter-
face is closed.

2.1.2 T-stub to unstiffened column

The model keeps all the elements of a T-hanger, except that the symmetric
plane, P1, now moves to the half-width of the column web. In addition, the
column flange, web and bolt nut are also defined (Fig. 1). The interface
elements now connect the nodes at the back of the T-stub to corresponding
nodes at the column flange and spar elements, representing the bolt shank,
connect the far ends of the bolt head and nut together.

2.2 Material properties

The stress-strain relationship for the elements of the web and flange(s) is
taken as elastic-strain hardening as shown in Fig. 3(a). The tangential stiffness

L
~uzn

/ Op

/
8y lley 21ey 8p 0.006 8ep
(a) (b)
Fig. 3. Idealized non-linear tr-E curves: (a) column and T-stub elements; (b) bolt components.
 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 175

after the yield point is defined as 2% of the initial modulus of elasticity up

to 1 Icy, followed by its related ultimate stress at 21~y. For the bolt material,
including shank, head and nut, the second line connects the proof stress of
the bolt to the yield stress which was considered to occur at a strain of 0.006;
the third line connects the yield to the ultimate stress presumed at a strain of
8%, whe[e % is the strain corresponding to the proof stress [Fig. 3(b)]. The
real values of yield and ultimate stresses of all flanges used for comparison
are determined and reported in Back and Zoetemeijer. ]2
The von Mises yield criterion, which is most commonly applicable to
initially isotropic engineering materials, is used to predict the onset of yield-
ing. The behavior, upon further yielding, is predicted by the 'flow rule' and
hardening law. The associative flow rule for the von Mises yield criterion,
i.e. the Prandtl-Reuss flow equations, is used in this study.

2.3 Boundary conditions

Nonlinearity in the behavior of endplate bolted connections is ascribed to

plasticity of the material and changes in the contact area between endplate
and column flange. Therefore, this requires that, in addition to multiple iter-
ations per load step for convergence, the loads be applied slowly, in
increments, to characterize the actual load history. The pretension caused by
bolt tightening is simulated by applying equivalent initial strains for bolt shank
elements. After examining the resultant preload in the bolt, tensile load is
applied in increments as uniform pressure defined at the end of the T-web.
SymmetrJic displacement boundary conditions are defined for the nodes along
the three planes of symmetry.

3 ANALYSIS

3.1 T-stub hanger

One of the main advantages of the finite element model over other models,
such as mechanical or mathematical types, is that the complete force-deflec-
tion relationship can be monitored very easily. Tests provided by Back and
Zoetemeijer, ]2 are used to examine the reliability of this model. T-stub flanges
were 17, 20, 25 and 32 mm, among which the first two are high strength Fe
52 steel with yield stress equal to 357 and 364 MPa, respectively, and the last
two are of grade Fe 37 with yield stress equal to 282 and 272 MPa, respect-
ively.
Depending on the flexural rigidity of the flange and the properties of the
fasteners, three possible failure modes can be expected. The first mode, (A),
176 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

is dominant when the flanges are heavy in comparison with the bolts. Then,
the flanges of the T-stubs separate from each other due to plastic deformation
of the bolts. The failure load is equal to the sum of the failure loads of the
bolts. In the second mode, i.e. mode (B), yield lines develop in the flanges
along the fillet between the flange and the web of the T-stubs. The bolts may
fail simultaneously with the formation of flange yield lines. The third mode,
(C), relates to yield line development in the flanges near the bolts and the
fillet. In fact, the connection may experience more than two modes through
its load history; however, the deformations just prior to the ultimate capacity
are of interest in limit state design. With a very thick flange plate, for instance,
the initial opening of the plates might be larger than the elongation of the
bolt shanks and the prying force comes into effect (Mechanism B). However,
around final loading, the elongation of the bolts is equal or larger than the
deflection of the flange plates and, therefore, no prying force persists and,
eventually, the connection fails through Mechanism A.
In all the cases analyzed, initially the external load reduced the contact
pressure between the flanges until separation at the bolt line occurred.
Depending on the flange thickness, bending in the outer portions of the flanges
develops prying forces acting between the bolt line and the edge of the flange.
Figure 4 shows the variation of the prying force ratio, Q/TR, with increasing
applied tensile force. In the 17 mm flange, prying was about 30% of the
applied tension at a value of applied load equal to bolt pretension, Bpl, which

0.4 ~ . Tsc= 17mm All bolts 16mm; Bpl = 110 kN

0.35
~. ,- T.~,= 20mm

0.3 ~ Tsc= 25mm

¢; 0.25 -~
b-4

O
0.2

t~ 0.15

0.1

0.05

0 ¢~-'u--'~- ~ I I I I I I I I
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Applied tension per bolt, Ta (kN)

Fig. 4. Variation of prying force ratio for T-stub hanger connections.

 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 177

gradually reduced to 25% near ultimate. For this thickness, the model is more
flexible than the test data, but the bolt force converged to the test value (Fig.
5). Although the flange was made of high strength steel, the test data is stiffer
than the 32 m m T-flange; this seems to be erroneous. In the 32 m m T-stub,
the first mode (A) occurred in the model involving complete separation of the
flanges at loads greater than 140 kN, and thereafter, the bolt force was equal
in magnitude to the applied load per bolt, i.e. the failure mode changed from
(B) to (A). The bolt force diagram is flatter and the first and complete separ-
ation loads of the flanges are very close to each other (Fig. 6). In fact, much
of the increase in applied load is spent to loosen contact and does not change
the curvature of the plate. The remaining T-stubs of lesser thicknesses perfor-
med according to the second mode with different prying actions. The situation
for 20 mm, with a higher yield stress, is very similar to a 25 m m T-flange
with normal steel (Figs 7 and 8, respectively) which validates the importance
of material properties. The prying ratio for both these connections is about
0.10. A summary of the test and computational results are shown in Table 1
for the T-hanger. The applied load per bolt, bolt force and prying ratio
resulting from the tests for various T-stubs are shown in columns (3), (4) and
(5), respectively. Columns (6) to (8) list the corresponding values resulting
from computation.
In a separate case study, it was assumed intentionally that the 17 m m T-

~ JsJ

I
16 ..~--. s 3.6
ET-17mm Gap(Test)
--li.-
Gap(Model)
120"1 _. __~ ,~'
Tb (Test) 2.4

8 0 ~ ............ f Tb (Model)
E
E

I m, ,, m" I / 1.2
40~ ~.6

1", / bolt, kN
Fig. 5. Test vs 3D model: bolt force and maximum separation, gap, of a 17 mm T-hanger.
178 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

I sf
2.4
s ~

0~ ET=32 mm ~ ,-" -2.1

Gap (Test)

5
15C

12C ___ ~_
~ '7
•"
.,""
Gap (Model)
Tb (Test)
a
Tb (Model)
-1.8

-1.5
-
E
E
I'
-1.2 [~
f
J • (_9

6(
~ 4T~ .."
"0,9

•0,6
31: -0.3

C~ , , , 4~0 ' ' ' gO ' ' ' l:b0 ' ' ' 1~0' ' '2

T, /bolt, kN

Fig. 6. Test vs 3D model: bolt force and maximum separation, gap, of a 32 mm T-hanger.

210.I 4

"1 ET = 20mm Gap (Test)

"3.5
180t _,~, G_.~.(Model)
"3
150t ~..,L~/,,.',,.,. " Tb(Test)
.2.5
ff T<Moo.,, .2
E
E

• (.9
•1.5

'1

'0.5

~'g 4,0 ' ' ' go ' ' 'lt, O' ' 'lt, o' ' '260
0
T, / b o l t , k N

Fig. 7. Test vs 3D model: bolt force and maximum separation, gap, of a 20 mm T-hanger.
 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 179

210"

El- = 25mm Gap (Test)

180- =-,z.TP. .3.5
Gap(Model)
150- Tb (Test)

M el)
.2.5
120-

-2 ~;
9(
-1.5

60-

30 -0.5
s /

) T , 4~0 ' ' ' 8b ' ' ' 1~0 ' ' ' 1t~0 2b0

Ta /bolt, kN

Fig. 8. Test vs 3D model: bolt force and maximum separation, gap, of a 25 mm T-hanger.

TABLE 1
Summary of Test and Analytical Results Corresponding to T-stub Connections

Test program Test results Computational

Connection T-flange T/bolt Tb (kN) Q/Ta T/bolt To (kN) a/z a

type thickness (kN) (kN)
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)

T-hanger 17 140 173 0.24 150 188 0.25

20 159 168 0.06 156 175 0.12
25 164 180 0.10 156 171 0.10
32 164.5 170 0.03 160 160 0.00
T-stub to 17 149 173 0.16 148 175 0.18
an 20 163 172 0.06 160 175 0.09
HE240B 25 163 168 0.03 160 179 0.12
column 32 170 192 0.13 164 184 0.12
T-stub to 20 170 193.5 0.14 160 181 0.13
an 25 177 184.5 0.04 174 177 0.02
HE160M 32 165 173 0.05 160 160 0.00
column
180 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

flange was made of mild steel. There was almost a 10% increase in prying
forces at both yield and ultimate load levels. However, the behavior mode did
not change. Thus, it is extremely important that, in any experimental study,
material properties are tested individually and key values, like yield and ulti-
mate stresses and strains, i.e. strain hardening, reported. The correlation
between the model and test data is very good, in general.

3.2 T-stub to unstiffened column connections

In the discussion so far, the T-section is connected to a rigid base or is acting

symmetrically against another hanger, i.e. rigidity is induced by symmetry.
However, in a T-stub moment-resisting beam-to-column connection, where
the web of the T-stub is connected to the beam tension flange and the flange
of the T is bolted to the column flange, the column does not provide a rigid
foundation. The influence of the relative stiffness of flange thickness is studied
by considering two kinds of column sections and four T-flange thicknesses
(according to tests). The geometric dimensions of the test specimens are shown
in Fig. 9. In modeling the column flange, the effective length of the column
has to be determined, i.e. the length over which the slope of the column flange
becomes zero. In Back and Zoetemeijer ~2 an effective length is defined as the
length at yield, i.e. it is substituted in the calculation of yield capacity of the
column flange. Based on observations of the behavior of the column flanges
connected~__with 32 m m T-stub flanges, with presumably infinite relative rigid-
ity, ~2/el in excess of bolt pitch is a suggested length where lcf is the distance
from the flange edge to the root of the column web. The yield length thus
computed is 213 m m for the HE240B section and 166 m m for HE160M. How-
ever, in the analysis it was found that, from the displacement and especially
the stress point of view, the suggested formula is very conservative. It should
also be mentioned that because of the contribution of the unyielded part of
the column flange to its overall stiffness and strength, the effective length to
be considered in the numerical analysis, in fact, should be higher than that
used for limit states design. The length used in this modeling was found to
be at least twice as much as suggested above.
The variation of prying force with increasing applied load is shown in Fig.
10 for T-stubs connected to the unstiffened column, HE240B. In comparison,
the general pattern is similar to the T-stub hanger (Fig. 4), i.e. the prying ratio
gradually increases until the bolt pretension, Bpl, is exceeded. Thereafter, the
prying force decreases and reaches its ultimate value depending on the relative
thicknesses of column flange and T-stem. It is interesting to note that the
prying force values for all T-sections are almost equal at a load corresponding
to the bolt preload. Because of material differences, the first two, i.e. 17 and
20 m m with try = 360 MPa, and the last two, i.e. 25 and 32 m m with
 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 181

16 I
16

18 18

t
I
:it
.
, m
I
*l',~
18
-~+
18
-~
T
, / r=21
HE240B HE 160 M

'
i i!i
I
![i
,..,
I
I,
, ill I il,
it
I
I
¢o

144 ¢---160--~
+-- 160 --~

+1 ÷
+ +

t" 480-- I

Fig. 9. Geometric dimensions of the test specimens12for T-stub to unstiffened column connec-
tions.

o'y = 275 MPa, can be compared to each other. The first pair, initially, behaved
exactly the same until Ta = Bpl, from which they deviated and the prying ratio,
QITs, changed significantly [Table 1, column (8)]. The second pair retained
almost the same variation over the entire loading.
It is seen from the pattern of deformation of a 17 m m T-section to a wide
flange HE240B column connection, [Fig. 1 l(a)], that the T-flange deforms
more or less as a T-hanger about its toe line; however, the column f a n g e
bends about its web plane. Since their stiffness properties are similar, they
make contact at the comer of the T-stub. In a 32 m m T-stub, on the other hand,
the flexural deformation of the T-flange is small compared to the elongation of
the bolt and the tee part behaves much like a single bolt in tension. The
column flange, which is now much more flexible than the T-flange, deforms
as a cantilever plate about the web plane, with its maximum between the
horizontal bolt line and T-web location [see Fig. 11 (b)]. Therefore, their con-
tact remains along the side edge, between the bolt and T-web, because of
prying of the column flange on the T-section. In the same way, the 32 m m
182 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

Tsh= 17ram
0.4 ]- = All bolts 16ram;Bpl = 110 kN
0.35 ~- ~ Tsh= 20ram

0.3 ~ ~ Tsh= 25ram

J

~5 0.25 =

0.2

et0 0.15

0.1

0.05

0 I
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
Applied tension per bolt, Ta (kN)

Fig. 10. Variation of prying force ratio for T-stub to unstiffened column connections.

T-flange separates from the HE160M column flange, which is stiffer than the
previous column. The column flange does not deform that much to keep its
contact with the T-flange at the ultimate load level, whereas the position of
the prying force around yield is at the same place as before.
The locations of prying force resultants under the applied tension causing
first yield together with ultimate capacity of the connections are illustrated in
Fig. 12. If the column flanges are not reinforced by adequate stiffeners, the
pattern of deformation is quite different from the T-hanger and the location
of the prying forces shift from the toe lines to the side edges of the flange.
Therefore, as a general rule and based on Fig. 12, where the locations of
prying forces for a variety of T-stub connections are illustrated, when the
relative stiffness of the column flange is much less than that of the T-section,
the prying force develops due to column flange deformation and is located
along the side edge around the bolt horizontal line [Fig. 12(e, f and i)]. When
the relative stiffnesses are similar, it still stays on the side edge with a tendency
toward the corner of the T-section [Fig. 12(d and h)]. When the T-stub is
much more flexible than the column flange, since the base is cantilevering
about its web, the prying force location remains near the corner but along the
toe edge [Fig. 12(g)].
In terms of bolt force, and with the same reasoning as above, its variation
depends mostly on the relative thicknesses of T-flange and column flange
together with the stiffness of the bolt. The 25 mm T-flange when connected
to the HE240B, with 17 m m as the thickness of its column flange, shows a
 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 183

ANSYS 4.4A
D E C 27 1992
**:51:35
P L O T NO. 2
P O S T 1 STRESS
STEP=7
ITER=30
UZ
D GLOBAL
D M X =6.348
SMN =-0.086265
S M X =6.348

-0.086265
l~m 0.628697
1 344
2 059
2 774
3 489
4 204
4 918
5 633
6 348

ZV =I
DIST=334.51
XF =20
YF =86
ZF =-Ii
ANGY=40
CONE=30
FACE HIDDEN
-0.06181
0 527067
l
-- 1 116
1 705
2 294
2 883
3 471
mmm 4 06
4 649
5 238

Fig. U . Patterns of deformations of T-stub connected to a HE240B column flange near to

ultimate load: (a) T~ = 17 mm; (b) Tsc = 32 mm.
184 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

4 o I t°!
(a) Ts. = 17mm
I
(b) Tsh = 25ram
IO
(c) T.h = 32ram

0 O,I
©

I
(d) T= = 17mm
-'-"
(e) T,o = 2 5 m m
I (f) %° = 32ram

(g) T~ = 20ram (h) T,~ = 25mrn (i) T= = 32mm

• Position of prying force around flange yield

• Position of prying force around ultimate load
[] Complete separation of flanges

Fig. 12. Locations of prying force resultants for (a)-(c) T-stub hangers; (d)--if) T-stub to
HE240B column flange; (g)-(i) T-stub to HEI60M column flange.

12% increase in bolt force, while the HE160M, with a 24 mm column flange
thickness, almost breaks contact with the T-flange, there being little prying
effect (Table 1). Figures 13 and 14 illustrate the bolt forces together with
the maximum separation of flanges and compare with test results for these
two connections.

4 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Three-dimensional, inelastic finite elements are used to model T-stubs bolted

to a rigid (by symmetry T-hanger) and flexible (unstiffened column flange)
 3D simulation of bolted connections--I 185

20I0: ~
180"t
160"
" "'" -3.6
4

-3.2 ~"
- E
-2.8 t~
" (.9
120" •" "2.4 ~
Tb [Test] e-
~_ loo. 2 ~
+

80. Modd Tb [Model] 1.6 ~ t--

- O
V/,~'AI I~'/h'~///AI
60' Gap [Test] -1.2 ~
r-=

40' ~AOB i N/A Gap [Modeq :o.8

i
20' Syria. P l a ~ -0.4
~ v
o "~ ' ~ ' ~ ' do ' 10o' 1~o' 1~o' 1~o' 1rio' 2
T, /bolt, kN
Fig. 13. Behavior of a 25 mm T-stub connected to HE240B column flange: test vs 3D model.

4
18 /J
,// -3.6
] /s fJ
-3.2 ~

5 140~" "" b [Testl '2.8 ~

-" -'-
_-."• T-/-b[Model] '2.4 ~
+ c-
8 100- T N/A Gap [Test] 2 N
,,o 8o
"%'2
Q
'1.6 "6
e-
m
O Gap [Model] .9
m 60
,,Y ,1.2 ~
HE160M _ _ ~ k o.8
Symm.P l a n ~ Model 0.4

' 2TO ' 40 ' dO ' E~O ' 160' I~0' I~K)' 11~0' 11~0' 260' 2 :8
T, / b o l t , kN

Fig. 14. Behavior of a 25 mm T-stub connected to HE160M column flange: test vs 3D model.
186 A. N. Sherbourne, M. R. Bahaari

base. The predicted results are within the range of accuracy of experimental
values and the correlation is certainly much better than that currently available
in the literature. The following general observations are in order:
(1) Since the maximum bending stresses of the column and T-stub flanges
are perpendicular to each other and also since thin column or T-flanges
are in a bi-axial stress condition, only a three-dimensional model can
satisfactorily predict their interaction.
(2) The location of the prying forces in a T-hanger is essentially along the
toe edge of the T-flange above the bolt line and shifts toward the comer
with increasing stiffness of the flange.
(3) Prying forces in the T-hanger increase with decrease in relative stiffness
of flange to bolt.
(4) In the T-stub to unstiffened column flange connection, the prying force
is essentially along the side edge. With increasing stiffness of the T-
stub, it shifts toward the T-web. In this case, the column flange deforms
as a T-stub at right angles with the original T-stub flange which acts
as a rigid base.
(5) Most properly designed T-stubs behave through the second mode of
failure; the first and third modes are extreme cases of too flexible or
too stiff flanges. Therefore, complete double curvature action along the
flange span is unlikely.
(6) The material properties of the flanges in the joint are important for
predicting the behavior and force distribution of T-stub connections.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The writers would like to thank the NSERC of Canada for direct research
assistance through grant A1582 to the primary author. The financial assistance
of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education of Iran for support of the
second author's research work is appreciated.

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