Experimental Studies and Design of Steel Tee Shear Connections

Abstract

A tee‐framing shear connection consists of a steel tee section connected to a beam web and to a supporting member such as a column. The main role of the tee‐framing shear connections is to transfer end shear reaction of simply supported beams to the supporting members. Usually, bolt groups or weld lines are used to connect the tee element to the beam web and to the support. An experimental investigation of the actual behavior of tee‐framing shear connections is conducted by testing nine full‐size beam‐to‐column‐joint assemblies. The connections are subjected to realistic combinations of shear forces and rotations. The research establishes six failure modes for these connections. The studies indicate that the tee‐framing connections tested are sufficiently flexible to be considered simple connections. A summary of the experimental research is presented. The experimental data and associated analytical studies are used to adapt mechanical models of the failures and to develop and propose new design procedures.