Research of changes in the parameters that affect the rigidness of the column-foundation joints

Introduction. The existing types of connection assignment in the design scheme — hinged and absolutely rigid joints — do not reflect the actual operation of the connection. The lack of calculation of the actual rigidness of joint and its failure to take into account in the design of the frame can lead to a different distribution of efforts from the calculated one and an increase in the movement of the frame elements. The purpose of this work is to researching the influence of the change size of the elements forming the column base on its rotational rigidity. Materials and methods. The calculation of the transverse frame was performed in the Dlubal RFEM software package. The calculated efforts acting in the lower section of the column were transferred to the calculated models of the column base, made in the IDEA StatiCa software package, in which the further calculation of the joint rigidness was performed. Results. The rotational rigidness of the joints with different structural solutions of the column base is determined. The change in the rigidness of the connection between the column and the foundation with an increase in the thickness and height of the support ribs is analyzed. Based on the calculations, graphs of the identified dependencies are constructed. As an example of strengthening the base of the column, the introduction of a traverse was proposed. The article considers six variants of the traverse device, and variants with three support ribs and with traverses, but without support ribs. The calculated rigidness of the column bases is summarized in graphs, where it can be seen that the metal adding is effective only up to a certain point. Variants of the arrangement of column bases with additional transverse ribs are considered. Conclusions. The greatest contribution to the increase in the rotational rigidness of the joint is made by the addition of a traverse. By increasing the thickness or height of the introduced traverse, it is impossible to achieve absolutely rigid fixing, it is necessary to change several parameters in a complex way. The introduction of additional ribs located outside the plane of action of the moment practically does not affect the rigidity of the joint.

EXPERIMENTAL RESPONSE OF A LOW-YIELDING, SELF CENTERING, ROCKING COLUMN BASE JOINT WITH FRICTION DAMPERS

The sliding hinge joint (SHJ) is a supplemental energy dissipation system for column bases or beam-to-column connections of steel Moment Resisting Frames (MRFs). It is based on the application of symmetric/asymmetric friction dampers to develop a dissipative mechanism alternative to the column/beam yielding. This typology was initially proposed in New Zealand and, more recently, is starting to be tested and applied also in Europe. While on the one hand this technology provides great benefits such as the damage avoidance, on the other hand, due to the high unloading stiffness of the dampers in tension or compression, its cyclic response is typically characterized by a limited self-centering capacity.To address this shortcoming, the objective of the work herein presented is to examine the possibility to add to these connections also a self-centering capacity proposing new layouts based on a combination of friction devices (providing energy dissipation capacity), pre-loaded threaded bars and disk springs (introducing in the joint restoring forces).In this paper, as a part of an ongoing wider experimental activity regarding the behavior of self-centering connections, the attention is focused on the problem of achieving the self-centering of the column bases of MRFs by studying a detail consisting in a column-splice equipped with friction dampers and threaded bars with Belleville disk springs, located above a traditional full-strength column base joint. The main benefits obtained with the proposed layout are that: (i) the self-centering capability is obtained with elements (threaded bars and Belleville springs) which have a size comparable to the overall size of the column-splice cover plates; (ii) all the re-centering elements are moved far from the concrete foundation avoiding any interaction with the footing. The work reports the main results of an experimental investigation and the analysis of a MRF equipped with the proposed column base joints.