Block tearing and local buckling of aluminum alloy gusset joint plates

Aluminum Alloy Gusset (AAG) joints widely used in the single-layer latticed shells have a significant application prospect in spatial structures. Unfortunately, studies on the resistance of AAG joints are insufficient, leading to a lack of applicative design methods for this joint system. This paper is devoted to investigate the resistance of AAG joint plates. Firstly, tests on fourteen AAG joint specimens are carried out to explore their collapse modes. Experimental phenomena show that the main collapse modes of AAG joint plates include the block tearing of top plates and the local buckling of bottom plates. Secondly, Finite Element (FE) simulations to investigate the mechanical behavior of AAG joints are performed by means of the non-linear FE code ABAQUS. Thirdly, formulae for predicting the block tearing resistance and the local buckling resistance of AAG joint plates are proposed, which are based on theoretical analyses. Fourthly, test results are of great help in the determination of parameters k and α which are adopted to modify the block tearing resistance and the local buckling resistance respectively. Finally, a comparison of test results verifies that theoretical formulae are applicable. In addition, in order to avoid the block tearing and the local buckling of AAG joint plates, convenient design criteria are provided.

[1]  E. Gaylord,et al.  Design of Steel Structures , 1972 .

[2]  Li Yuanqi,et al.  State-of-the-arts of research on aluminum alloy structures , 2007 .

[3]  Dong Shi-lin.  Load-carrying capacity and practical calculation method of welded hollow spherical joints connected with square steel tubes , 2005 .

[4]  Chee Kiong Soh,et al.  Ultimate capacity of completely overlapped tubular joints , 2001 .

[5]  Federico M. Mazzolani,et al.  T-stub aluminium joints: influence of behavioural parameters , 2000 .

[6]  Shizhao Shen,et al.  Numerical analyses of semi-rigid joints subjected to bending with and without axial force , 2013 .

[7]  Chee Kiong Soh,et al.  Ultimate capacity of completely overlapped tubular joints. II: Behavioural study , 2001 .

[8]  Shizhao Shen,et al.  Experimental study of semi-rigid joint systems subjected to bending with and without axial force , 2012 .

[9]  Jia Liu,et al.  Experimental investigation on the semi-rigid behaviour of aluminium alloy gusset joints , 2015 .

[10]  I. Puente,et al.  Numerical model and experimental tests on single-layer latticed domes with semi-rigid joints , 2007 .

[11]  Qian Ji.  Development Study on Large Span Aluminum Alloy Dome Structure , 2000 .

[12]  F Frans Soetens,et al.  Design of aluminium structures , 1999 .

[13]  J. Rice.  Mathematical Statistics and Data Analysis , 1988 .

[14]  Qinghua Han,et al.  Ultimate bearing capacity of the welded hollow spherical joints in spatial reticulated structures , 2004 .

[15]  A W Beeby,et al.  CONCISE EUROCODE FOR THE DESIGN OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS. BASED ON BSI PUBLICATION DD ENV 1992-1-1: 1992. EUROCODE 2: DESIGN OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES. PART 1: GENERAL RULES AND RULES FOR BUILDINGS , 1993 .

[16]  Mahmood M. Shokrieh,et al.  Detail investigation on un-stiffened T/Y tubular joints behavior under axial compressive loads , 2013 .