Investigation of Seismic Performance of Beam Bending Joint to Steel Column with Tapered Beam Flange (TBF)

One of the most common parts of steel bending frame structures, which is damaged by seismic load, is beam joints to the column, and joint failure can cause the structure to collapse. One way to improve the seismic performance of steel bending joints is to use bending joints with tapered beam flange (TBF). In this joint, with reducing part of the beam flange width along the seismic anchor slope, the bending joint ductile behavior is increased and the critical stress area is transferred from the beam-to-column joint to the beam flange width reduction location. In this article, the results of laboratory studies conducted by Chen et al. are the basis for the validation of the finite element model, and the most important parameters affecting the seismic performance of this type of joint, including the reinforcement ratio the length of the beam flange width reduction area and the cross section of the main beam have been investigated using the finite element method. The results of the analysis of nonlinear finite element models in ABAQUS software showed that the TBF joint caused the expansion of stress and strain equivalent to the maximum along the area of reduction of the beam flange width, and amount of stress in the area of joint of the beam to the column is reduced and the critical area of the joint is transferred from this place to the place of reduction of the width of the beam flange. Also, by increasing the reinforcement ratio or by increasing the length of the beam flange width reduction area in the TBF joint, the bearing capacity of the joint is increased, and is reduced the maximum amount of strain created at the beam joint to the column.