Behaviour of bolted beam-column joint with sudden column removal

• Main Author: Ng, Jared Liang Wey
• Other Authors: Fung Tat Ching
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Civil engineering::Structures and design
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60087
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Structural progressive collapse possesses a great threat to humanity. Therefore, scientist and researchers from all over the world are looking into this topic with great scrutiny. Most of the past studies focused on progressive collapse of RC structures, but few have researched on the progressive collapse of steel structures. As steel structures are increasingly popular in modern day construction, and through various advancement of construction technology, it is important that more study has to be done to enhance the quality of steel structures in the future. As there are many reasons that lead to the collapse of a multi-storey structural frame, this final year report focused on the behaviour of bolted beam-column joints during sudden column removal. The sudden column removal illustrates events such as blasting of columns or outbreak of fire that causes column to disintegrate apart. Moreover, the author also cooperated with his project partner to discuss about the effect of braced column and unbraced column on the robustness of structure. Besides that, parameter studies were also done to further understand the behaviour of bolted connections under sudden column removal. Some of the parametric studies done are plate thickness, bolt strength, boundary conditions, and time taken to remove the column. In the final year report, the author was aided with modern software called ABAQUS 6.12 which uses finite element method. However, a great understanding of the software played a major part of completing this report. All the parameters, materials and interactions between surfaces were to be defined by the author with great detail. Both two dimensional and three dimensional models were created to aid the author in the study.