ABSTRACT
EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL STUDIES OF STEEL T-STUBS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES Steel stubs at elevated temperatures
S. SPYROU, J.B. DAVISON and I.W. BURGESS Department of Civil & Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Abstract It has become apparent from careful studies of the fire tests on the Cardington composite frame building that, although connections undoubtedly have a major effect on the structural performance of a frame in fire, it is inadequate to consider simply a degradation of the ambient temperature moment-rotation characteristics without taking account of the high axial forces which also occur. Since the overall response of the connection is produced by the behaviour of different zones within it under the principal effects of horizontal tension or compression, a breakdown of the connection into components would be very advantageous. A project has recently begun in which the changes of stiffness and strength of component zones as a result of fire conditions will be examined. Combination of the components of typical beam-to-column connections used in current construction will be examined experimentally and analytically, hi order to provide a satisfactory connection model for future numerical studies of frames at elevated temperatures.
