Response of Low‐Rise Steel Frames with Fabrication Errors

Abstract

An evaluation of the errors that usually occur during the fabrication and erection of bolted connections of steel frames is presented. Specifically, the significance of fabrication errors on the serviceability of low‐rise steel frames under wind and low‐level seismic action is studied. The moment rotation relationship of a partially restrained (PR) top and seat angle connection is developed based on behavior models that include the effects of each fabrication error. Nonlinear analysis of a low‐rise steel frame under lateral wind action and low‐level seismic load are performed. The comparative seismic responses of frames with and without fabrication errors are presented in the form of response amplification factors, in which the maximum interstory drift of the frame is plotted with respect to the fundamental frequency. The frame response under wind effect is compared to frames with no fabrication efforts.