Requirements and capabilities for composite connections in non-sway frames

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the developments aimed at improving understanding of both the achievable levels of moment capacity, rotational stiffness, and rotation capacity for composite connections. The values required from these quantities to achieve economy when using the semi-continuous approach to frame design are also discussed. In both cases emphasis is on the provision of design expressions that link performance and requirements directly to the main physical parameters of the connections and the frame members respectively. In frame design the objective is to match the levels of performance that are readily achievable from connections to the requirements of the joints necessary to achieve a competitive design. Essentially, this center around the need to redistribute high elastic moments from the beam to column support regions into the mid-span regions of the beams so as to utilize the large sagging moment capacity of the composite section.