Parametric Study and Design Procedure for Skewed Extended Shear-Tab Connections

Abstract

Previous studies by the authors discussed the behavior of unstiffened and stiffened extended shear-tab connections, highlighted the differences between both types, and discussed the applicability of stabilizer plate requirements to skewed extended shear-tab connections. This study presents a parametric study and proposes a design procedure for skewed extended shear-tab connections based on results obtained from a finite-element analysis for 300 models with different configurations. The variable parameters used for this study are plate thickness, the distance between the weld line and the bolt line, the skewed angle, and the number of bolts. These parameters were investigated in terms of the connection’s vertical displacement, the plate twist along the bolt line, the plate twist along the weld line, and the connection shear capacity. Modifications to the current connection lateral stability checks in the literature will also be addressed. The proposed design procedure on this study is the specific procedure for the skewed extended shear-tab connections. This procedure is compared with the current design procedure in the AISC manual.