LAUSR

Abstract A through plate connection consisting of a vertical plate passing through the column is proposed as a moment connection between steel and composite beams to encased columns. A numerical model is developed to simulate the cyclic behavior of the proposed steel beam to the SRC column connection via a through plate using a general-purpose finite element code LS-DYNA. The through plate connection shows a stable hysteresis behavior during the loading process and the plastic hinge forms in the beam away from the column face without a considerable extension in the connection zone. The induced in-plane forces in the through plate are transferred to the column mainly through three load paths: through plate, lateral cover plates and the concrete strut action. Furthermore, the load transfer mechanisms from a steel-concrete composite beam to an SRC column are investigated numerically. The concrete slab adds new mechanisms to the three main load paths of a steel beam to the SRC column. Generally, there are only two mechanisms of load transfer from composite beam to column, including compression on column face and inclined concrete struts formed over the column sides. The finite element analysis demonstrates the two additional paths and the transferred bending moment from beam to column. Accordingly, the two mechanisms cannot transfer the full plastic moment of the composite beam to the column, and thus, a smaller effective width is engaged in load transfer from beam to column.