Stackable column assemblies and methods of construction

摘要

An improved stackable square tubular column assembly and method of assembly for multi-floor steel-framed buildings in which hollow columns for vertically adjacent floors are joined by a coupler having beam connectors extending outwardly therefrom so that the coupler supports the floor load in shear. The core of the assembly is the coupler having a flat plate extending through horizontal slots in opposing walls of the coupler that divides the coupler into two compartments, each compartment telescopingly receiving the end of a single floor column so that the column load of the upper column is uniformly distributed in compression over the walls of the lower column through the plate. Advantages of the various embodiments include (a) eliminating the necessity of column abutment, (b) eliminating the need for exact registration of the columns, (c) eliminating the need for through-column bolts, (d) eliminating the need for overhead welds, (e) improved tolerances for coupler-to-lower column tolerances, (f) improved resistance to bending or twisting of the coupler about the supporting column, (g) the addition of coupler-to-coupler tension cables, (h) additional support for metal decking, (i) the connection of stacked columns without through-column bolts, (j) coupler length reduction for reduced thickness composite floors without sacrificing resistance to floor load shear, (k) a continuous span for reduced thickness floors, (l) shear panels anchored to the structural steel columns, coupler and beams, and (m) the ability of the coupler to accommodate normal X-bracing and tube bracing.