Bolted CHS Flange-Plate Connections under Bending

摘要

Abstract Most research on circular hollow section (CHS) flange-plate connections deals with axial tension loading, yet bending action is a common load case. Prior researchers have studied both ring and blank-flange-plate connections, using a four-point-bending setup, generating a database of 10 experimental tests and five numerical models on bolted blank-flange-plate connections under pure bending. This limited data is extended herein by two large-scale laboratory tests with blank-flange-plate connections having a large span-to-tube diameter ratio, and 120 numerical models. Flange-plate plastification and bolt fracture are the valid failure modes for this splice, so all data was meticulously assessed to exclude experimental tests or numerical models not governed by connection failure. Existing design models for calculating the connection capacity under pure bending are evaluated and revised. Moreover, based on rectangular flange-plate connections, a novel method is proposed to design its circular counterpart under pure bending. For all methods, the difference in using the ultimate stress for flange-plate moment capacity—instead of the conventional yield stress—is also analyzed. Lastly, a reliability analysis is conducted to support the proposed design method.