FULLY RESTRAINED CONNECTIONS

Load Determination
End connections in FR construction are designed to carry the required forces and moments, except that some
inelastic but self-limiting deformations of a part of the connection is permitted.
Moment can be resolved into an effective tension-compression couple acting as axial forces at the beam flanges.

Shear is transferred through the beam-web shear connection. Since, by definition, the angle between the beam and column
in an FR moment connection remains unchanged under loading, eccentricity can be neglected entirely in the shear
connection. Additionally, it is permissible to use bolts in bearing in either standard or slotted holes perpendicular to the
line of force. Axial forces, if present, are normally assumed to be distributed uniformly across the beam flange cross-
sectional area. However, if the beam-web connection has sufficient stiffness, it can also be assumed to participate in the
transfer of beam axial force.
Column Stiffening
Transverse stiffeners are used to increase the strength and/or stiffness of the column flange and/or web at the
location of a concentrated force, such as the flange force induced by the flange or flange-plate of a moment-connected
beam. Web doubler plates are used to increase the shear strength and stiffness of the column panel-zone between the pair
of flange forces from a moment-connected beam.