University of Stuttgart

&
University of Liège

Robustness – Robust structures by

joint ductility

U. Kuhlmann, L. Rölle, J.-P. Jaspart & J.-F. Demonceau

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007
-1-
ONGOING RFCS PROJECT

• Title: Robust Structures by Joint Ductility

• 2004-2007
• Partners: Stuttgart University (Germany)
Liège University (Belgium)
Trento University (Italy)
PSP Technologien (Germany)
Arcelor Mittal

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-2-
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The objective is to derive

robustness requirements
for various potential
exceptional events

Î recommendations for
good practice

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-3-
WAYS AND MEANS

• Some exceptional situations identified:

- loss of a column in an office or residential building
frame
- loss of a beam in an office or residential building
frame
- loss of a column in an industrial portal frame
- loss of a bracing in an industrial portal frame
- loss of a bracing in a car park
- unexpected earthquake
- unexpected fire

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-4-
STRATEGY FOLLOWED WITHIN THE PROJECT

Experimental tests on a substructure,

on joints and on joint components

Validation of the numerical tools

Parametrical numerical studies

Derivation of design
guidelines for
Development of simplified analytical practitioners
methods

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-5-
STRATEGY FOLLOWED WITHIN THE PROJECT

Experimental tests on a substructure,

on joints and on joint components

Validation of the numerical tools

Parametrical numerical studies

Derivation of design
guidelines for
Development of simplified analytical practitioners
methods

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-6-
TEST COMPAIGN

• Unique chain for the experimental tests

substructure test joint tests component tests

part

Liège Stuttgart Trento

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-7-
TEST COMPAIGN

• Unique chain for the experimental tests

substructure test joint tests component tests

part

Liège Stuttgart Trento

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-8-
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE SUBSTRUCTURE TEST

Loss of a column due to an impact

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

-9-
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE SUBSTRUCTURE TEST

Loss of a column due to an impact

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 10 -
ISOLATION OF THE TESTED SUBSTRUCTURE

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 11 -
TESTED SUBSTRUCTURE

• Reinforcement and beam-to-slab connection layouts

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 12 -
TESTED SUBSTRUCTURE

• Key parameter in the development of the catenary

action

Structural restraint K Î catenary action

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007
- 13 -
TESTED SUBSTRUCTURE

• Lateral restraint simulated by horizontal jacks

Calibration of
the jacks

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 14 -
TESTED SUBSTRUCTURE

• Lateral restraint simulated by horizontal hydraulic jacks

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 15 -
LOADING SEQUENCE

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 16 -
LOADING SEQUENCE

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 17 -
LOADING SEQUENCE

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 18 -
TESTED SPECIMEN

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 19 -
LOAD – DEFLECTION CURVE AT MID-SPAN

120
100
Load at the jack [kN]

80
60
Loss of the slab rebars
40
20
0
-20 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
Deflection at the middle [mm]
-40
-60

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 20 -
BEHAVIOUR OF THE JOINTS

140
Connection of the internal composite joint
120 Web panel of the internal composite joint
Internal composite joint
100
Applied vertical load [kN]

Connection of the external composite joint

80 Web panel of the external composite joint
External composite joint
60

40

20

0
-1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 11.00 12.00
-20

-40
Rotation [°]

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 21 -
VERT. AND HOR. MAXIMUM DEFLECTION

• Maximum deflection at
the middle: 77 cm for a
vertical load of 100kN
• Maximum lateral
displacement: 4,5cm for
an horizontal load of
170kN

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 22 -
EXTERNAL COMPOSITE JOINT

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 23 -
INTERNAL COMPOSITE JOINT

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 24 -
INTERNAL COMPOSITE JOINT

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 25 -
TEST COMPAIGN

• Unique chain for the experimental tests

substructure test joint tests component tests

part

Liège Stuttgart Trento

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 26 -
COMPOSITE JOINT CONFIGURATION

• Same configuration as the composite joints

in the substructure

500

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 27 -
OBJECTIVE OF THE JOINT TESTS

• The objective is to follow the M-N resistant

interaction curve of the composite joint
– Under hogging moment (3 tests) N
– Under sagging moment (2 tests)
NRd

MRd
Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007
- 28 -
LOADING SEQUENCE

• First, a vertical load is applied and the

horizontal jack is locked

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 29 -
LOADING SEQUENCE

• Secondly, the vertical jack is locked and a

horizontal tensile load is applied

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 30 -
JOINT TEST RESULTS

• Under hogging moment

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 31 -
JOINT TEST RESULTS

• Under hogging moment

M-N-Interaction
70
V1
60
V2
50
V3
Moment [kNm]

40

30

20

10

0
-50 50 150 250 350 450 550 650
Normal Force [kN]

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 32 -
JOINT TEST RESULTS

• Under sagging moment

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 33 -
JOINT TEST RESULTS

• Under sagging moment

M-N-Interaction

70

60

50
Moment [kNm]

40

30

20

10
V4
V5
0
-50 50 150 250 350 450 550 650
Normal Force [kN]

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 34 -
CONCLUSIONS

• The results obtained through the substructure test and and the joint
tests are comparable (the same collapse modes were observed)
• The performed tests showed the ability of the joints to undergo
large rotations (190 mRad in the substructure test)
• At the end of the test, the joints are no more composite ones but
steel ones (due to the collapse of the components coming from the
concrete slab) which allowed further increase of the rotation

• With the obtained results, the validation of the numerical tools is

under progress

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 35 -
Thank you for your attention…

Prague, 30th & 31st of March 2007

- 36 -