FEM analysis was performed on extended beam-to-column flange connections to examine their

failure modes, in particular twisting of the plate, and consequently to study the need for stabilizer
plates (Suleiman et al., 2017). This research simulated connections with a beam having full lateral
support from a roof diaphragm or floor slab. Large lateral displacements of the shear tab were
recorded at ultimate load, but the lateral displacement remained small under service level loads.
The authors suggest a more economical solution to reduce twisting would be to increase the
thickness of the shear plate prior to adding stabilizer plates (Suleiman et al, 2017).

Finite Element Modelling of Shear Tab Connections

In this section, a review of past finite element analyses on shear tab connections is presented.
Both finite element modelling assumptions and results will be discussed. The details from these
past models were taken into consideration when modelling for this research project.

Ashakul (2004) performed forty-five finite element analyses on beam-to-column flange shear tab
connections. The research goal was to evaluate the shear tab design procedure in the 2001 AISC
LRFD 3rd Edition Manual (AISC, 2001). In order to validate the numerical models, 8 of the 45
models simulated laboratory experiments by Astaneh et al. (1989) and Sarkar and Wallace (1992).
Four more models were created to verify certain assumptions used in the models: effect of beam
size/length and effect of loading and bolt strength on the connection behaviour. The finite
element models included the effects of geometric nonlinearities. All other relevant modelling
assumptions used in this research project are explained here.

The material properties of the welds and bolts were assumed to be elastic perfectly plastic. The
plate and beam had full stress-strain relationships including strain hardening. Poisson’s ratio and
Young’s modulus were taken as 0.3 and 29000 ksi, respectively, for all tests.

Ashakul (2004) used the symmetry technique for his models. Half of the beam span was modelled
with a shear release boundary condition to simulate the mid-length of the beam. Ashakul

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modeled areas expected to see high stresses with C3D20R elements. These are solid continuum
20 node hexahedral second order elements. Reduced integration was used to capture the stress
in critical areas. In other areas of the model where stress was not expected to be significant,
similar brick elements with less nodes were used (C3D8I). Such incompatible elements (I) add
additional internal degrees of freedom to the first-order elements to improve their bending
behaviour. Finally, in areas of more complex geometry, C3D15 elements were used. This is a solid
15 node triangular prism second order element and was used in areas such as the innermost
elements of bolts. Two mesh sizes, 0.25” and 0.125”, were applied to the shear plate to compare
their results. The shear rotation curve of the 0.125” mesh matched the Von Mises’ yield criterion
and therefore was considered as an adequate mesh size.

Ashakul (2004) did not include the column in his models, rather the backside of the welds were
restrained in a way to simulate this connection to the column. Tie constraints were used between
the welds and the shear plate. For the contact between the bolts and bolt holes, small sliding was
used. The interactions between the bolts and the bolt holes were simulated using the GAP
element in Abaqus, since there is an initial gap around the bolt shaft for the 1/16” oversize of the
bolt holes. Gap elements allow for contact and separation between two nodes. The contact
property used was “Hard” contact in the normal direction.

Boundary conditions in the model included fixing the welds to simulate the connection to the
column and restraints along the entire beam length to prevent lateral torsional buckling.

Observation of shear vs. rotation of the plate at the bolt line, moment vs. beam end rotation at
the weld line, shear vs. beam rotation and shear vs. distance to point of inflection from the weld
line curves led to the following conclusions:

 the lack of effect on the bolt group by changing the a distance,

 plates of a higher grade of steel impeded the bolt group capacity,

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  the bolt group moves altogether as opposed to moving about the instantaneous centre
of rotation and,
 the position of the connection with respect to the beam’s neutral axis (centre of rotation)
impacted the bolt group strength (Ashakul, 2004).

Rahman et al. (2007) conducted an FE investigation on shear tab connections with 3 and 5 bolts
placed in a single vertical row to validate previous experiments by Sherman and Ghorbanpoor
(2002). Material properties were measured and therefore included strain hardening effects. By
using the program ANSYS, fully-integrated cubic elements (C3D8) were used for the column and
shear tab and C3D10 elements for the bolts. A pretension force was incrementally applied until
the bolt came into contact with the shear tab and the beam. Consequently, stresses were
generated and then converted into strain, causing the bolts to become locked. Once the
pretension step is complete, external loads can be applied.

To continue, Rahman et al. (2007) suggested a coefficient of friction (steel to steel) of 0.3. The
researchers analyzed several models with different coefficients of friction ranging between 0.2
and 0.6, as suggested by the AISC LRFD Manual (1993) and the optimal was found to be 0.3. The
detailed finite element models proved to correlate well with the laboratory tests.

Marshall (2011) simulated laboratory tests performed by Marosi (2011) and by D’Aronco (2013)
using Abaqus software. In order to accurately input material properties of the beam flanges,
webs and shear plates, finite element models were first made for the coupon tests. An extensive
study into the relationship between the true stress-strain and the engineering stress-strain
curves was performed. Equations will be discussed in Section 3.2 to convert the engineering data
into true values to be inputted into Abaqus. To do this, an equation suggested by Holzer et al.
(1975) was used. The same procedure was followed by other researchers such as Motallebi
(2018), Goldstein Apt (2015), Hertz (2014), etc.

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The FE models of the coupons were based on average measured dimensions since there were
more than one coupon per specimen. Using the coupon data, the material properties were
assumed to be isotropic. It is important to note that in reality the material properties change with
direction and location. This particularly affects steel which has undergone significant work
hardening; this may be the case for the plates used to fabricate the shear tabs, which may
undergo cold-rolling to obtain the desired thickness.

Coupon testing was not performed for all members of Marosi’s (2011) and D’Aronco’s (2013)
assemblies; only for beams and shear plates. Therefore, Marshall used elastic properties for the
columns.

Interactions and ties were specified at all contact locations. Surface-to-surface tie constraints and
contact interactions were used with finite sliding. The coefficient of friction used in the model
was 0.3. These assumptions are identical to past FEM studies described in the literature, e.g.
Ashakul (2004), Rahman et al., (2007), Hijaj and Mahamid (2016) and Motallebi (2018).

In the Load Module of Abaqus, pressure loading proved to yield more accurate results as
compared to displacement loading. However, this technique can result in modeling instabilities
once large deformations occur. Therefore, Marshall used pressure loading up until approximately
83% of the run time and then switched to displacement loading. The boundary conditions on the
column were a fixed base and a displacement of the column corresponding to the test data as
recorded with an LVDT. These horizontal displacements ranged from 1-5 mm.

For the mesh, several element types were evaluated for their efficiency. C3D20 elements were
used in the shear tab, beam near connection, loading plate for main actuator and column. C3D8I
elements were used in the beam portion furthest from the connection and in the loading plate
for the tip actuator. C3D15 elements were used for the portions of the model which are not

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rectangular (welds and k areas of W-shapes). Finally, C3D6 elements were used for the curved
portion of the beam web furthest from the column. It was noted that the C3D8 first order
elements yielded better results than the second order elements since the analysis is not governed
by bending. First order hexahedral elements can experience shear locking, which is the
development of “parasitic shears” which do not exist in reality. This phenomenon of shear locking
is mostly encountered in analyses with significant bending stresses. Incompatible modes can help
avoid “parasitic shears” and this was the idea behind using the C3D8I elements. For this reason,
the C3D8 elements proved to be adequate for the shear tab models. To better understand the
behaviour of the element types, an element with a reduced number of integration points tends
to be softer (more flexible) and is prone to hourglassing. Hourglassing is when there is significant
distortion at the centre of an element due to large deformations; this can cause problems in
calculating the stiffness. On the contrary, increasing the number of integration points makes the
element stiffer, subjecting it to the potential for shear locking (SIMULIA User Assistance, 2018).

Marshall (2011) assumed the maximum recorded shear force was the shear plateau value rather
than the actual maximum in Abaqus. It was noted by the author that future versions of Abaqus
have the potential to model fracture by including the option for a ductile damage model. Marshall
suggested this inclusion would provide results even closer to the experimental observations.

Abou-zidan and Liu (2015) performed a numerical study on unstiffened extended shear tabs to
investigate beam-to-column web connection behaviour. Each model was subject to a gravity-
induced shear load. Parameters were altered to investigate their effects on the connection
capacity and distribution of stresses. These parameters included the number of horizontal and
vertical rows of bolts, thickness of the shear plate, the a distance, lateral restraint of the beam
and the web slenderness of the supporting column. The connections were designed and detailed
to fail in bolt shear rather than plate yielding. It should be noted that elastic perfectly plastic
material properties were defined for the column, beam and shear tab.

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