Finite Element Analysis of Blind Bolted Extended and Flush End Plate Connections of Steel Beams to Hollow Section Columns

Hollow structural sections (HSS) have been used in many structural applications, owing to their efficient structural performance and suitable appearance. However, due to the lack of access inside the HSS column for bolting purposes, it has been difficult to develop a practical bolted moment connection. Thus, field welded beam-to-HSS column connections have been the only viable method. Recently some blind fasteners are developed to be used in application which access for installation is only from one side of the connection. At the moment different blind bolts were designed for use in one side connections. In this project, comparison of the test result of an article and three dimensional finite element modeling of the blind bolted end plate joint with concrete-filled square hollow section columns to steel beam and Lindapter blind bolt (Hollo-Bolt) under monotonic loading indicates that the finite element analyses can be used to predict the connection behavior with sufficient accuracy. After that studied parametric investigation under cyclic loading into the end plates thickness, bolt diameter and bolt pretension force for the blind bolted extended and flush end plate connections of steel beams to hollow section column with ABAQUS and got moment-rotation hysteretic curve of each ones. Results have shown that the end plates thickness, bolt diameter and bolt pretension force have influenced on the connection behavior.