ABSTRACT
In steel construction using RHS as columns and open sections as beams, it is common to weld the perimeter of the open section profile (flanges and web) to the wall of the tubular column. It is expected that the flanges of the open section contribute most to the stiffness and resistance of the joint and contributions from the welded web would be relatively minor. If this were the case, it would be preferable not to weld the web to the tube to save construction costs. Furthermore, this would greatly simplify analysis of the joint behaviour. To assess this, this paper presents the results of an experimental and numerical modelling programme. After validation, the numerical parametric study examines the effects of several dimensional ratios. The results of this investigation indicate that the web contribution is quite low and can be conservatively neglected.
