Comparative Study on Progressive Failure of Rigid & Flexible Joints in Steel Frames

Steel frames were traditionally designed assuming that beam-to-column joints are fully rigid and flexible. This project deals with the analytical and experimental investigation on rigid and flexible joints in steel frames. In this paper, comparison will take place between the rigid and flexible joints. The strength, moment-rotation behavior, stiffness, energy absorption, ductility factor and drift of the column for these two joints is determined. Here, I section is taken for beam and column for both the joints. ISMB 150 is taken for beam and ISMB 250 is taken for column for these two joints. The length of the beam is 1m and the height of the column is 1m for rigid and flexible joints.8mm fillet weld is provided for rigid joints and 12 no.'s of 12mm bolts (6 no.'s of bolts on each side) is used with double web angle for flexible joints. Monotonic loading (incremental loading) is given for these two joints. Experimental works had been done using loading frame. Analytical works had been done using finite element analysis (Abaqus) software.