ABSTRACT
This paper presents experimental and numerical results that aim to understand the effect of the plate reinforcement on the joint’s ultimate capacity and general behaviour. The experimental and numerical analysis focused on the static behaviour of axially compressed T joints reinforced with a doubler plate where the reinforcement plate length and boundary conditions varied. The structural response of reinforced joints was compared to equivalent unreinforced joints to determine the corresponding enhancement of the joint resistance. The experimental results were also compared to the design standards of Eurocode 3, ABNT NBR 16239 and ISO 14346. These comparisons showed that the joint strength, predicted by the analytical models, might be highly underestimated when compared to the experiments. Finally, a preliminary approach based on modifications of Eurocode 3 and ABNT 16239 design codes is proposed to estimate the resistance of T joints reinforced with flange plates.
