BRIEF REPORT OF STEEL MOMENT CONNECTION TEST

SAC Subtask 7.10

Testing and Analysis of Bolted End-Plate Connections

Test Conducted By:

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Thomas M. Murray
Emmett A. Sumner

Test Sponsor:

SAC Phase 2

Test Designation:

4W-1.25-1.375-36
(4-Bolts Wide Extended Unstiffened -1 1/4 in. Diameter Bolts - 1
3/8 in. End-Plate - 36 in. Deep Beam)

Test Date:

June 28, 1999

DESCRIPTION OF TEST SPECIMEN

The test specimen was an exterior subassemblage consisting of a W14x257 (A572 Gr. 50)
column with a single W36x150 (A572 Gr. 50) beam attached to the flange. In this test, the
connection was designed to develop 110 percent of the nominal plastic moment capacity of the
beam. The beam-to-column connection was a four bolts wide extended unstiffened moment endplate connection, which consisted two rows of four bolts, one row above and below each flange.
The end plate was 1 3/8 in. thick (A36) and was bolted to the column flange with 1 1/4 in.
diameter A325 bolts. All bolts were instrumented and fully tightened to the minimum pretension
specified in the AISC LRFD Specification. The column was reinforced with 1 in. continuity
plates and a 3/4 in. doubler plate.
The connection configuration is shown in Figure K.1 and detailed fabrication drawings are
included at the end of this report.
The end-plate to beam connection was made using groove welds for the flanges and fillet welds
for the web. All welds were made using the Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) process and
E71T-1 welding electrodes. The flange welds were similar to AWS TC-U4b-GF utilizing a full
depth bevel and a minimal root opening backed by a 3/8 in. fillet on the underside of the flanges,
weld access holes were not used. The web connection consisted of 5/16 in. fillet welds on both
sides.
Lateral Supports were provided for the beam at a distance of 6 ft. 1 3/4 in., 14 ft.1 3/4 in. and 20
ft. 9 1/4 in. from the centerline of the column. No lateral supports were provided for the column.
The loading was applied to the beam at a distance of 22 ft. 2 3/16 in. from the centerline of the
column.
Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-1

Tension coupon test results of the beam, column and end-plate are summarized in Table K.1.
TABLE K.1: SUMMARY OF COUPON TEST RESULTS
Section

Yield Stress,
Fy (ksi)

Ultimate
Stress, Fu (ksi)

W14x257
(column)

Flange

51.2

68.3

Web

47.8

67.0

W36x150
(beam)

Flange

55.8

68.6

Web

62.4

74.3

40.8

72.0

1 3/8 End-plate

LOADING PROTOCOL
The specimen was loaded in accordance with the protocol specified in Appendix E of the
Protocol for Fabrication, Inspection, Testing, and Documentation of Beam-Column Connection
Tests and Other Experimental Specimens, Report No. SAC/BD-97/02 which is published by the
SAC Joint Venture. In this test, a hydraulic ram was used to displace the beam tip until the
rotation angles specified by the loading protocol were achieved. Various instrumentation was
used to account for and remove any rigid-body displacements of the subassemblage that occurred
due to shifting of the test frame. This was done in real time to ensure that the proper rotation
angle was achieved. The loading sequence used is shown in Table K.2.

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-2

TABLE K.2: LOADING SEQUENCE

Load Step #

Story Drift Angle,

(rad)

Number of
Loading Cycles

0.00375

0.005

0.0075

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.5

DESCRIPTION OF PERFORMANCE
Initial yielding of the specimen was observed during load cycles for 0.01 rad story drift. The
small yielding occurred in the web of the beam just inside the flanges adjacent to the end-plate
and on the end plate between the bolts. Through the load cycles for 0.02 rad story drift, small
yielding of the beam flanges and some loss of bolt pretension was observed. Substantial yielding
of the beam flanges, small yielding of the end-plate, small yielding of the column web, and
additional loss of bolt pretension was observed during the load cycles for 0.03 rad story drift.
Severe yielding of the beam web and flanges, additional yielding of the column web, small
yielding of the column flanges, and substantial loss of bolt pretension was observed during the
load cycles for 0.04 rad story drift. In addition, small cracks between the flange welds and the
end-plates were observed at the end of the cycles for 0.04 rad story drift. End-plate tearing at the
bottom flange followed by the rupture of six connection bolts was observed during the first half
cycle for 0.05 rad story drift. The test was then terminated. There was no substantial yielding of
the end-plate observed during the test.
Figures K.2 and K.3 are photographs of the specimen prior to testing. Figures K.4, K.5 and K.6
are photographs of the specimen at the end of the test.
Plots displaying the overall response of the specimen are shown in Figure K.7. Figure K.8 and
Figure K.9 show the total rotation and the inelastic rotation of the specimen broken down into
the contributions from the beam, panel zone and column. The response of the sixteen connection
bolts is shown in Figure K.10. The specimen response due to end-plate separation is shown in
Figure K.11.
The peak applied load is 126.82 kips which corresponds to a maximum applied moment at the
centerline of the column of 33,758 in-kips. The maximum beam tip displacement is 10.98 in.,
which corresponds to a maximum story drift rotation angle of 0.040 rad. The contributions of
Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-3

the beam, panel zone and column to the maximum story drift rotation angle are: Bm = 0.019
rad, PZ = 0.004 rad, Col = 0.017 rad. The rotation of the beam ( Bm) includes 0.003 rad of
rotation from the separation of the end-plate from the face of column and 0.016 rad from the
beam. The maximum inelastic story drift rotation of 0.019 rad was achieved at an applied
moment of 32,419 in-kips or 96.0% of the maximum applied moment. The maximum inelastic
story drift rotation that was sustained for at least one loading cycle is 0.019 rad and was achieved
at an applied moment of 31,860 in-kips or 94.4% of the maximum applied moment.

W14x257 (A572 Gr50)

1 3/8" End-Plate (A36)

W36x150 (A572 Gr50)

1 1/4" Dia. A325

Bolts Typ.

FIGURE K.1: CONNECTION CONFIGURATION

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-4

FIGURE K.2: OVERALL VIEW OF THE TEST SETUP

FIGURE K.3: CONNECTION REGION PRIOR TO TESTING

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-5

FIGURE K.4: CONNECTION AFTER TESTING

FIGURE K.5: CONNECTION AFTER TESTING

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-6

FIGURE K.6: END-PLATE AFTER TESTING

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-7

50000

200

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

P+
+

100
Beam Tip Load (kips)

K-11

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

40000

150

50

-50

-100

-150

30000

M+
+

20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000

-200
-20

-15

-10

-5
0
5
10
Beam Tip Displacement (in)

15

(a) Beam Tip Load vs Displacement

20

-50000
-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02 0.00
0.02
Total Rotation (rad)

0.04

(b) Moment vs Total Rotation

Figure 7 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Overall Response

0.06

0.08

40000

40000

30000
20000

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

50000

M+
+

10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02 0.00
0.02
Total Rotation (rad)

0.04

0.06

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.08

0.08

-0.06

(a) Moment vs Total Rotation

50000

50000

40000

40000

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02 0.00
0.02
0.04
Panel Zone Rotation (rad)

-0.04

-0.02 0.00
0.02
Beam Rotation (rad)

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.06

0.08

(b) Moment vs Beam Rotation

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

K-12

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

50000

0.06

(c) Moment vs Panel Zone Rotation

0.08

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.08

-0.06

-0.04

-0.02 0.00
0.02
Column Rotation (rad)

0.04

(d) Moment vs Column Rotation

Figure 8 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Rotation Response

40000

40000

30000
20000

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

50000

M+
+

10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.06

-0.04

-0.02
0.00
0.02
Total Plastic Rotation (rad)

0.04

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.06

0.06

(a) Moment vs Total Plastic Rotation

50000

50000

40000

40000

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.06

-0.04

-0.02
0.00
0.02
Plastic Panel Zone Rotation (rad)

0.04

-0.04

-0.02
0.00
0.02
Plastic Beam Rotation (rad)

0.04

0.06

(b) Moment vs Beam Plastic Rotation

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

K-13

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

50000

0.06

(c) Moment vs Plastic Panel Zone Rotation

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.06

-0.04

-0.02
0.00
0.02
Plastic Column Rotation (rad)

0.04

0.06

(d) Moment vs Column Plastic Rotation

Figure 9 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Plastic Rotation Response

8000

8000

Bolt 2 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(a) Bolt 1 Strain vs Moment

(b) Bolt 2 Strain vs Moment

10000

10000

8000

8000

Bolt 4 Strain (microstrains)

Bolt 3 Strain (microstrains)

K-14

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Bolt 1 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(c) Bolt 3 Strain vs Moment

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(d) Bolt 4 Strain vs Moment

Figure 10 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Bolt Response

8000

8000

Bolt 6 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(e) Bolt 5 Strain vs Moment

(f) Bolt 6 Strain vs Moment

10000

10000

8000

8000

Bolt 8 Strain (microstrains)

Bolt 7 Strain (microstrains)

K-15

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Bolt 5 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(g) Bolt 7 Strain vs Moment

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(h) Bolt 8 Strain vs Moment

Figure 10 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Bolt Response (cont'd)

8000

8000

Bolt 10 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(i) Bolt 9 Strain vs Moment

(j) Bolt 10 Strain vs Moment

10000

10000

8000

8000

Bolt 12 Strain (microstrains)

Bolt 11 Strain (microstrains)

K-16

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Bolt 9 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(k) Bolt 11 Strain vs Moment

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(l) Bolt 12 Strain vs Moment

Figure 10 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Bolt Response (cont'd)

8000

8000

Bolt 14 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

6000

4000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(n) Bolt 14 Strain vs Moment

10000

8000

8000

Bolt 16 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(o) Bolt 15 Strain vs Moment

Bolt gage damaged

prior to start of test

2000

(m) Bolt 13 Strain vs Moment

Bolt 15 Strain (microstrains)

K-17

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Bolt 13 Strain (microstrains)

10000

6000

4000

2000

0
-40000 -30000 -20000 -10000
0
10000 20000 30000 40000
Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

(p) Bolt 16 Strain vs Moment

Figure 10 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Bolt Response (cont'd)

40000

40000

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

50000

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3

End-Plate Separation at Top Flange (in)

0.4

0.5

-0.5

(a) Moment vs Plate Separation at Top Flange

50000

50000

40000

40000

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.06

-0.04
-0.02
0.00
0.02
0.04
Rotation Due to End-Plate Separation (rad)

(c) Moment vs Rotation Due to Plate Separation

-0.4

-0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3

End Plate Separation at Bottom Flange (in)

0.4

0.5

(b) Moment vs Plate Separation at Bottom Flange

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

K-18

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

Moment at Column Centerline (in-kips)

50000

0.06

30000
20000
10000
0
-10000
-20000
-30000
-40000
-50000
-0.06

-0.04
-0.02
0.00
0.02
0.04
Plastic Rotation Due to End-Plate Separation (in)

0.06

(d) Moment vs Plastic Rotation Due to Plate Separation

Figure 11 Specimen 4W-1.25-1.375-36 Response Due to End-Plate Separation

Detailed Fabrication Drawings

(4W-1.25-1.375-36 and 4W-1.25-1.25-36 Specimens)

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-16

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-17

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-18

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-19

Cyclic Testing of Bolted Moment End-Plate Connections

K-20