ABSTRACT
To study the elastic and plastic behavior of structures with tubular joints, it is important to grasp the elastic/plastic behavior of the tubular joints.
In truss structures with X-braces, a variety of different stress combinations can arise in the braces according to the direction in which force is applied. For example, one of the braces is subjected to a tensile force while the other is subjected to a compressive force of equal magnitude. Alternatively, both braces are subjected to the same tensile or compressive force, or one of braces is subjected to a tensile or compressive force while the other remains virtually unstressed.
In this paper we describe the results of static loading tests on circular hollow section tubular X-joints specimens in which the chords and braces have the same diameter, under all the above stress conditions. We investigate the influence of the axial forces acting in the chords on the elastic/plastic behavior of the braces. We also investigate the elastic/plastic behavior of the chords.
