STEEL JOINTS - COMPONENT METHOD APPLICATION

Abstract

As long as the rotation joint stiffness is considered in the calculation, the steel structure joints can be made in semi-rigid version, i.e. no rigid or pinned. Thus, new modeling capabilities: semi-rigid / total resistance, semi-rigid / partial resistance. Eurocode 3 standard is considering these possibilities by introducing three types of modeling: simple (if pin-end), semi-continuous and continuous. Terms of continuous, semi-continuous and nominally pinned are defined as follows: Continuous: the joint ensures perfect rotation continuity between connected elements; Semi-continuous: the joint ensures a partly rotation continuity between connected elements; Simple: the joint interrupts the rotational continuity between connected elements. Interpretation of these types of modeling should be done in accordance with the structural analysis type. In the case of a global elastic analysis, only the stiffness properties of joints are important for joints modeling. The semi-rigid connection is taken into account in the calculation model by means of a spring which is characterized by the elastic constant k.