Yonis, F.A.; Li, C.-Q.; Saliva, S.D. Investigating the Reliability of an Existing Top Angle and Seat Pad Semi-Rigid Connection System Using Advanced Modelling Techniques. Processes2024, 12, 1221.
Yonis, F.A.; Li, C.-Q.; Saliva, S.D. Investigating the Reliability of an Existing Top Angle and Seat Pad Semi-Rigid Connection System Using Advanced Modelling Techniques. Processes 2024, 12, 1221.
Yonis, F.A.; Li, C.-Q.; Saliva, S.D. Investigating the Reliability of an Existing Top Angle and Seat Pad Semi-Rigid Connection System Using Advanced Modelling Techniques. Processes2024, 12, 1221.
Yonis, F.A.; Li, C.-Q.; Saliva, S.D. Investigating the Reliability of an Existing Top Angle and Seat Pad Semi-Rigid Connection System Using Advanced Modelling Techniques. Processes 2024, 12, 1221.
Abstract
This investigation introduces an efficient method for assessing the reliability of semi-rigid steel frame connections in existing buildings, explicitly targeting the Top Angle and Seat Pad (TA-SP) semi-rigid connection commonly used in Australian cities' high-rise buildings. The moment capacity of these connections was examined through parameter power model testing, meticulously considering the bending, shear, and prying forces actions to determine the weakest elements in the connection system. A plastic hinge model was applied to ensure computational efficiency and accuracy in assessing the connections' ultimate strength. Comparatively, the finite element (F.E) method M−θ curves were introduced to scrutinise the nonlinear behaviour of the connection, providing validation for the predicted analytical approach. Further emphasis was placed on identifying the reliability of the weakest elements in the connection system, employing the First-Order and Second-Order Reliability Methods models to estimate their reliability index. The correlation between the model's failure probability and a percentile error was also explored, utilising Monte Carlo simulation reference for refined validation. Novel formulas and methodologies were introduced to compute the locked-chain-series system reliability, which accounts for the inherent material and geometric variability. The findings highlight the critical significance of the weakest element in determining the overall reliability of the existing TA-SP connection.
Keywords
Semi-rigid connection; M−θ relationship; Finite element F.E.; Locked chain series system; Reliability index; System reliability index; Target reliability index
Subject
Engineering, Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.