E-ISSN: 2278–179X

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185.

Journal of Environmental Science, Computer Science and

Engineering & Technology
An International Peer Review E-3 Journal of Sciences and Technology

Available online at www.jecet.org

Computer Science

Research Article

A Software Solution to Help Design of Reduced Beam

Section Moment Connection
Vesmawala Gaurang1, Kulkarni Swati Ajay2, Jha Abhishek3, Chauhan Abhipranay4
1
Department of Applied Mechanics, Sardar Vallabhabahi National Institute of Technoloy, Surat,India.
2
Department of Applied Sciences and General Engineering, Army Institute of Technolgy, Pune, India.
3
Department of Computer Engineering, Army Institute of Technology, Pune, 411015, India.
4
Department of Computer Engineering, Army Institute of Technology, Pune, 411015, India.

Received: 26 November 2013; Revised: 27 December 2013; Accepted: 30 January 2014

Abstract: This paper details out web based software developed for designing
Reduced Beam Section (RBS) for available range of sections with Indian profile for
Special Moment Frame (SMF). In RBS connection, some portion of the beam flanges
at a short distance from column face is removed, so that the yielding and plastic hinge
occurs within the trimmed area of flanges. As far as RBS connection is concerned,
generally the amount of shear and axial force generated at the column interface are
less than the full beam cross-section due to the formation of the plastic hinge at the
reduced flange area of beam flanges. Although RBS connection is widely
investigated and used in US, Japan and Europe, however design of such type of
connection is not presented and used in India. Formulae from Federal Emergency
Management Academy (FEMA) and American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
codes are used to study RBS for Indian profile sections. Software solution developed
enables users to design RBS connection for all available Indian profiles for any
intended beam to column combination.
Keywords: Interactive user friendly software; parallel flange I beam; Indian profiles;
reduced beam section.

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 175

A Software... Gaurang et al.

INTRODUCTION

As per Indian Standards (IS), IS 12778: 2004, IS 12779: 1989, IS 8500: 1991[1 -3] hot rolled parallel
flange sections (Figure 1) of 300MPa and 350MPa are manufactured and available in the market.
These sections can be used to study RBS moment connections. The RBS connection is one of the
most well-known flange reduction method (Figure 2A, 2B). In RBS connection, the strategic
trimming of beam flanges at a short distance from column flange is planned to promote stable
yielding at trimmed portion as well as to protect welded joint. Use of RBS connection is found to be
advantageous due to the reduced shear and axial force in the panel zone as well as column continuity
plates and strong column - weak beam requirement is satisfied. The AISC 358: 2010, AISC 360:
2010, AISC 341: 2010, AISC Steel Design Guide Series-13: 1999, FEMA350: 2000, FEMA353:
2000 and FEMA355D: 2000 [4 -10] specifies the guidelines about design of seismic steel moment
resisting frames, beam-to-column connection details, width-to-thickness limitation for members and
other details. Although this scheme is widely investigated and used in US, Japan and Europe, design
of such type of connection is not presented and used in India. Therefore, AISC & FEMA codes are
used as a guideline to develop software.

Figure 1: Hot rolled parallel flange section

Figure 2: A) Typical reduced beam section moment connection, B) RBS profile detail

AISC/ FEMA GUIDELINES USED FOR STEP WISE DESIGN

Formulae used to check width-to-thickness limitation of sections: As per IS 12778: 2004 [1], NPB
sections are mostly used as beams and WPB sections are generally used as beams or columns.
According to Indian code, 70 NPB and 122 WPB sections are listed. Following, slenderness limit
formulae as per AISC 341: 2010 [6], for SMF are used to classify NPB and WPB sections.

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 176

A Software... Gaurang et al.

Limiting width-to-thickness ratios for compression elements for highly ductile members:
bf E
 0 . 30 (1)
2t f Fy

h E (2)
C a  0. 125 ,  2 .45 1  0.93C a 
tw Fy

h E
C a  0 .125 ,  0 .77 2.93  C a   1.49 E (3)
tw Fy Fy

Where,

Ca 
Pu For Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD), C   b Pa for Allowable Strength
a
 b Py Py

Design (ASD). For I-shaped beams in SMF systems, where C is less than or equal to 0.125, the
a

limiting ratio h shall not exceed 2.45 E .

tw Fy

FORMULAE USED TO CHECK BEAM / COLUMN LIMITATIONS

Following formulae according to AISC and FEMA codes are used to design RBS connection for
Indian Profiles.

Beam Limitations:
1. Beam depth is limited to W36 (W920) for rolled shapes.
2. Beam weight is limited to 300 lb/ft (447 kg/m).
3. Beam flange thickness is limited to 13/4 in. (44 mm).
4. The clear span-to-depth ratio of the beam shall be limited for SMF systems, 7 or greater.
Column Limitations:
1. Rolled shape column depth shall be limited to W36 (W920) maximum.
2. There is no limit on the weight per foot of columns.
Formulae used to design RBS connection:
Panel Zone:

Designs shear strength: R n

AISC360: 2010 [5],

When, P  0.75 P
r c

 3bcf t cf2 
 
R n  0 . 6 F ycw d c t cw  1 
 d b d c t cw


(4)

Required shear strength: R u

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 177

A Software... Gaurang et al.

AISC 358:2010 [4],

M M  V RBS  S h (5)
f pr

Sh  a  b (6)
2

M pr  C pr R y Fy Z RBS (7)

M pe  Ry FyZ x
(8)

Z RBS  Z x  2 ct bf ( d  t bf ) (9)

Ru 
M f
 Vc (10)
( d b  t bf )

Required column web / panel zone thickness

AISC 341:2010 [6],
d z  wz  , d z  d  2t f (11)
t
90

FEMA350: 2000 [8],

 h  db 
C y M c  
 h  (12)
t pz 
(0 .9 ) 0 .6 F yc R yc d c ( d b  tbf )

(13)
1
Cy 
Z be
C pr
Sb

Continuity Plates:
AISC 360: 2010 and AISC Steel Design Guide Series-13: 1999 [5, 7],

Design shears strength: R n

Local Flange Bending (LFB):

 R n  0 .9  6 .25  t cf2 F ycf (14)

Lateral Web Yielding (LWY):

Rn  1  (5 k  lb ) Fycw t cw (15)

Web Crippling (WC):

1 .5
2
  3l   t cw   EF ycw t cf (16)
R n  0 . 75  0 . 8 t cw 1   b
d    
 

  c   t cf  

t cw

Web Compression Buckling (WCB):

3
 24 t cw EF ycw 
R n  0 . 9    (17)
 h 

Required shear strength: Ru

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 178
A Software... Gaurang et al.

AISC Steel Design Guide Series-13: 1999 [7],

1 .1R y F y Z b  V b S h (18)
Ru 
d b  tbf

Required column flange thickness

AISC 360: 2010 and AISC Steel Design Guide Series-13: 1999 [5, 7],

t cf  0 .4 1 .8bbf t bf
R yb F yb (19)
R yc F yc

t cf  bbf / 6 (20)

When the required strength exceeds the available design strength as determined for the column PZ
and CP listed above, stiffeners and/or doublers shall be provided and shall be sized for the difference
between the required strength and the available strength for the applicable limit state.

If t pz , as calculated above, is greater than the thickness of the column web, doubler plates are

provided, or the column size is increased to a section with adequate web thickness. Similarly, t cf
should be satisfied for continuity plates.
As mentioned by, Adan and Reaveley [11, 12] and Pantelides et al. [13,14] if normalized limit state
R n
check i.e.  1 for all limits of panel zone and continuity plates then there is no need to provide
Ru
doubler plates and continuity plates and design is satisfied.
Solution Approach for Developing Software for Indian Profiles: Programming Languages used
are PHP, JavaScript, and HTML. Object oriented programming principles are followed to develop the
software. Database is managed in MYSQL. Properties and attributes of beam and column are stored in
MYSQL DB. Final solution, software developed is also deployed on web server for access thr’
internet [15]. Reduced beam section design software is developed for SMF according to formulae and
guidelines mentioned as above in following steps:
Step 1: Dimensions of all sections as per IS 12778 -2004 [1] satisfying width-to-thickness limitations
(as elaborated in the Figure 3 and above section) are considered as inputs.

Figure 3 A), B): Section profile dimension details

Step 2: Values of all constants i.e. E, Ry, Cpr etc. and weight of the all above sections are given as
input values.
JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 179
A Software... Gaurang et al.

Step 3: Values which user can choose are shown in Table 1 as well in Figure 4.

Table-1: Details of user defined values

Beam/Column RBS Cut Dimensions Loads Grade of the Frame Dimensions
steel as per IS
8500:1999[3]
Which are given as a  (0.5 to 0.75)bf Dead Load Fy=300MPa Length of Beam
input details for all b  (0.65 to 0.85) db Live Load Fy=350Mpa Height of Column
section in step 1 c ≤ 0.25bf

Figure 4: Snapshot of input detail page of web based software

Step 4: Validations for beam and column limitations are handled. (Figure 5)

Figure 5: Snapshot of beam and column parameters

Step 5: User inputs are validated against FEMA and ANSI/AISC formulae as mentioned above
section (AISC/ FEMA guidelines used for step wise design). Continuity plates as well as panel zone

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 180

A Software... Gaurang et al.

checks for all available combinations of beam/ column for hot rolled parallel flange sections of Indian
profile can be validated. Following snapshot elaborates design summary details of the connection
(Figure 6, 7, 8 and 9).

Figure 6: Snapshot of the design summary detail

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 181

A Software... Gaurang et al.

Figure 7: Snapshot of the design summary detail

Figure 8: Snapshot of the design summary detail

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 182

A Software... Gaurang et al.

Figure 9: Snapshot of the design summary detail

CONCLUSIONS

This paper elaborates approach taken for developing web based software to design RBS, following
AISC and FEMA guidelines, for available range of 300MPa and 350MPa sections of Indian profile
for special moment frames (SMF).
Developed software enables users to:
a) Design RBS connection for any intended beam column combination of Indian profiles.
b) Do all needed validations for beam and column limitations in accordance with AISC and
FEMA guidelines.
c) Assess necessity of continuity plates for selected connection.
d) Assess necessity of doubler plates for selected connection.
Although, software is developed based on the AISC/FEMA specifications, experimentation is
required to check any need to modify any detail/ formulae to make changes as per indigenous section
properties.

REFERENCES

1. Bureau of Indian Standards, IS 12778, Hot rolled parallel flange steel sections for beams,
columns and bearing piles- dimensions and section properties, 2004.
2. Bureau of Indian Standards, IS 12779, Rolling and cutting tolerences for hot rolled parallel
flange beams and columns section – Specifications, 1989.
3. Bureau of Indian Standards, IS 8500, Structural steel - micro alloyed (medium and high
strength qualities) – specifications, 1991.
4. American Institute of Steel Construction, ANSI/AISC 358, Prequalified connections for
special and intermediate steel moment frames for seismic applications – Including
supplement No. 1, 2010.
5. American Institute of Steel Construction, ANSI/AISC 360, Specification for structural steel
buildings, American Institute of Steel Construction, 2010.
6. American Institute of Steel Construction, ANSI/AISC 341, Seismic provisions for structural
steel buildings, 2010.
7. American Institute of Steel Construction, AISC Steel Design Guide Series-13, Stiffenening of
wide-flange columns at moment connections: wind and seismic applications, 1999.
8. Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA 350, recommended seismic design criteria
for new steel moment frame buildings, 2000.
JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 183
A Software... Gaurang et al.

9. Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA 353, recommended specifications and

quality assurance guidelines for steel moment frame construction for seismic applications,
2000.
10. Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA 355D, State of the art report on the
connection performance, 2000.
11. S. M. Adan, L. D. Reaveley, The reduced beam section moment connection without
continuity plates”, In: Proceedings of 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering,
Canada, 2004.
12. S. M. Adan, Reduced beam section moment connections without continuity plates, Doctor of
philosophy, Thesis (PhD), University of Utah, 2006.
13. C. P. Pantelides, Y. Okahashi, L. D. Reaveley, Experimental investigation of reduced beam
section moment connections without continuity plates, Earthquake Spectra, 2004, 20, 1185-
1209.
14. C. P. Pantelides, L. D. Reaveley, S. M. Adan Chapter 23 - Analysing Steel Moment-
Resisiting Connections using Finite Element Modelling”, in M. Papadrakakis, D. C.
Charmpis, N. D. Lagaros, Y. Tsompanakis, (Eds), Computational Structural Dynamics and
Earthquake Engineering (pp 363-376), CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, UK, 2009.
http://kreativenotion.com/smrf/

Nomenclature
C a
= Ratio of required strength to available strength
C pr = A factor to account for the peak strength, defined as 1.15 for the RBS
connection
Cy = Ratio of yield moment capacity to the plastic moment capacity of the beam
E = Modulus of elasticity of steel
F ycw = Specified minimum yield stress of column web
F yb ( Fyc ) = Specified minimum yield stress of the beam (column) flange
Fy = The specified minimum yield stress of the material of the yielding element
(beam/column).
H
= Column height
Lb = Beam length from column face to beam tip
M f
= Probable maximum moment at face of column
M pe = The plastic moment of the beam based on the expected yield stress
Mc = Moment at column centerline based on the beam plastic moment capacity
projected from the beam plastic hinge; the location of expected plastic hinge
M pr = Probable maximum moment at the centre of the reduced beam section
Pr = Required tensile strength
Pc = Available tensile strength/ yield strength
Pa = Required axial strength of a column using ASD load combinations
Pu = Required axial strength using LRFD load combinations
Py = Nominal axial yield strength of a member
R yb / R yc / R y = The ratio of the expected yield strength of the beam (column) material to the
minimum specified yield strength, in accordance with the AISC Seismic
Provisions.

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 184

A Software... Gaurang et al.

Rn = Panel zone design shear strength

Ru = Panel zone required shear strength
Rn = Design strength for various limit states
Ru = Required strength
Sb = The elastic section modulus of the beam at the zone of plastic hinging
V RBS = Larger of the two values of shear force at the centre of the reduced beam
section at each end of the beam
Vc = Column shear
Z RBS = Plastic section modulus at center of the reduced beam section
Zx = Plastic section modulus for full beam cross-section
a = Horizontal distance between a column flange (face) and the start of an RBS
cut
b = Length of an RBS cut
bf = Width of flange
bf = Width of beam flange
bcf = Width of column flange
c = Depth of cut at the centre of the reduced beam section
dc = Overall depth of column
dz = Overall panel zone depth between continuity plates
db = Depth of beam
h = The average story height of the stories above and below the panel zone.
h = Clear distance between flanges less the fillet or corner radius for rolled
shapes
lb = length of bearing
k = Distance from outer face of the flange to the web toe of the fillet
t = Thickness of column web or doubler plate
tw = Thickness of web
t f
= Thickness of flange
t cf = Thickness of column flange
t cw = Column web thickness
t bf = Thickness of beam flange
t pz = Thickness of panel zone
w z
= Width of panel zone between column flanges
 = Resistance factor
b = Resistance factors for axial compression (0.9)
b = Factors of safety for axial compression (1.67)

*Corresponding Author Kulkarni Swati Ajay; Department of Applied Sciences & General
Engineering, Army Institute of Technology, Pune, India.

JECET; December 2013 – February 2014; Vol.3.No.1, 175-185. 185