Behavior and design of flexibly-connected building frames

Abstract

Although the behavior of connections in steel construction extends over the full range from near-pinned to almost-rigid, traditional engineering practice has considered only the extreme limiting cases. The neglect of real connection behavior can lead to unrealistic predictions of the response and strength of steel structures, and less than optimal design in steel construction. This paper was written in order to demonstrate that more realistic connection behavior can be included in analysis without undue pain, and that design of flexibly-connected steel frames is fully within reach of professional office practice. Subjects covered include load considerations, office practice requirements, analysis procedures, and design methods.