AIN SHAMS UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

FIFTEENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STRUCTURAL AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

Advances In Construction Techniques

EXPERIMENTALLY ENHANCING PERFORMANCE OF CIRCULAR

HOLLOW SECTION T-JOINTS

EMAN FAROUK SAYED GAMAL ELDIN

Structural Engineering, Ain Shams University
Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: emangamal22@yahoo.com
TAMER HANAFY
Structural Engineering, Ain Shams University
Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: tamerhanafy75@gmail.com
SHERIF IBRAHIM
Structural Engineering, Ain Shams University
Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: sherif19@icloud.com>
NAHLA KAMAL HASSAN
Structural Engineering, Ain Shams University
Cairo, Egypt
E-mail: nahla.kh63@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Structures with tubular members are widely used in steel structures, due to their economical
and functional advantages over other open sectional shapes.
Applications of tubular joints in steel structures are found in steel bridges, space trusses,
trussed Frames & steel latticed towers.
In this study, the Enhancing performance of circular hollow section T-joints using vertical
brace member and chord member with steel plate stiffener shall be investigated analytical
under axial load mode. Circular hollow section T-joints stiffened and un-stiffened were tested
and analyzed to investigate the applicability of current design standards.
The study includes comparison on stiffened and un-stiffened T-joints with different
dimensions parameters. Finite element method is used as the basis of the analytical part of the
research on stiffened and un-stiffened T-joints with different dimensions parameters. Results
developed by tests and finite element analysis are compared with numerical method result by
CIDIC code for stiffened and un-stiffened circular T-joints. The effects of the experimental
parameters were evaluated for their applicability to current standards based on the limited test
and analysis results of the circular hollow section T-joint. Recommendations for the strength
of circular T-joints are presented.

KEYWORDS
Circular hollow section, T-joint, high strength steel, stiffened hollow-section.

1 INTRODUCTION
Circular hollow steel sections are becoming increasingly popular. The ultimate and reserve
strengths of such structures depend significantly on the member and joint responses. Existing
design equations have been derived from isolated joint experiments or numerical analyses.
Developments in high-rise buildings, long span trusses, and mega structures are required
materials that are light weight, and of sufficient ductility. There are many limits of
applicability to the use of stiffened circular hollow sections. Most current standards for steel
structures, including the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC, 2005), and
(CIDECT 2008), are applied only to circular hollow sections with a yield stress of up to 360
MPa and without stiffeners. Very limited research has been performed on high strength steel
circular hollow sections and different types of stiffened circular hollow sections. The
structural behaviour of this high strength and stiffened circular hollow sections should be
verified before their application in practice. It is necessary to investigate the ductility of these
stiffened circular hollow sections. The main objective of this study was to investigate the
axial capacity of the stiffened circular hollow section T-joint, by means of experiment and
finite element analysis.
Based on this experimented and analytical research, the applicability to current design
equations and effects of the parameters are verified.

2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 Joint Geometry of the T-Joint

T-joint is commonly used in Virendeel, truss arrangement and offshore structures. The
symbols used for defining the T-joint geometry are illustrated in Fig. 1.

2.2 Nominal strength by design code CIDECT

For T-joints, the nominal strength of the brace shall be the lower value obtained according to
the limit state of chord plastification and shear yielding (punching) equations in CIDECT.
Determination of allowable static axial force in brace member N which is minimum of:
For the limit state of chord plastification,
N1 =  fy0 t02 (2.8 + 14.2 2 ) 0.2 . f (n')] / (Sin θ1)
For the limit state of shear yielding (punching),
Np = [fy0 t0 π di (1+ Sin θ1) ] / 30.5 . 2 (Sin θ1)2
 Fig.1: General geometry of Circular un-stiffened joints

Fig.2: General geometry of Circular stiffened joints by 2 stiffeners

The geometry and some normalized geometrical parameters commonly used for describing
tubular T-joint are shown in Fig.1 Without stiffener and Fig. (2) with 2 stiffeners.
The joint used for the analysis include:
i) Four un-stiffened with different geometric parameters Fig (3).
ii) Four stiffened with the same different geometric parameters Fig (4).
As shown in Table (1).
Fig. 3: Dimensions of un-stiffened T-joint Joints 1, 2, 3 & 4

Table 1: Geometric parameter for Un-stiffened tubular joint

Fig. 4: Dimensions of stiffened T-joint

With 2 side stiffeners Joints 1-S, 2-S, 3-S & 4-S

Table 2: Geometric parameter for Un-stiffened tubular joint

 • Applied vertical increasing load, Nax load to determine the ultimate static axial
force for steel T-joint.
• All joints will be investigated axially loaded applied on brace member joint by
compression loads.

3 EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

3.1 Tensile coupon test

To obtain the actual mechanical properties of the steel material, coupon tests of specimen
chord member 160mm diameter and 4mm thickness were carried out. For each separated
pipe, one specimen was tested.
Each of specimen (3) and specimen (3-S) were from two separated pipes each with length
one meter. Two Coupon tests were done for specimen (3) and Specimen (3-S). Specimens
(1), (1-S), (2), (2-S), (4) and (4-S) were from one pipe with six meter length. Four coupon
tests were done for six meter pipe to check uniformity of strength for all pipe length. Results
of the six coupon tests were as illustrated in following table:

Table 3: Coupon test results

3.2 Test set-up:

The test set-up used is shown in Figure 5.

 Fig. 5: Test Set-up.

Fig. 6: Test apparatus adapted in the specimen

 3.3. Test specimens
Eight circular hollow section T-joints were tested under static axial load. Tables 1& 2 lists the
test specimens and gives the details for each specimen. For chord members, 165 mm diameter
hot finished circular hollow section with 4 mm wall thickness was used for the tests.
For vertical members, 42, 60, 90&110 mm diameters of 3 mm wall thicknesses were used for
the tests.

Fig. 7. Un-stiffened tubular joint Specimen Fig.8. Stiffened tubular joint Specimen

3.4. Measurement
One axial strain gauges was placed on the centreline near the joint of vertical members. For
chord members, one axial strain gauge was placed on the centreline along the circumferential
directions The typical gauge arrangements used in the experiments are shown in Fig. (5).
Three linear variable differential transducers (LVDTs) were placed on chord and vertical
members to monitor the deformation. The typical locations of LVDTs used in the
experiments are shown in Fig. (5). LVDT2 and LVDT3were used to monitor the deformation
of the vertical members, while LVDT1 was used to monitor the deformations of the chord
members.

3.5. Test procedure

The testing of specimens was carried out with monotonic loadings using a 10/50 Tons
capacity Universal Testing Machine (UTM). Figure 5 shows the test apparatus. All tests were
performed under a strain rate of 0.05 mm/sec.3.4.

3.6 Failure Mode.

Failure mode of these joints has been at the upper surface chord member.
Failure mode was plastification mode as shown in figures.
 FIG.9.Un-stiffened specimen (1) FIG.10. Stiffened specimen (1-S)

3.7 Experimental results:

In table 4, maximum experimental ultimate load, yield load, and enhancing factor between
stiffened and un stiffened specimen.
Table 4 : Specimens Results:

4 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

4.1 Analysis modelling

The numerical study for each joint was carried out using the nonlinear finite element program
ANSYS, R14. A quadrilateral shell element with six degrees of freedom per node (element
Shell 93 from the ANSYS Library) was used to model the chord and vertical members. The
main goal of the finite element analysis was to verify the code values in view of the global
comparisons such as maximum strength, load displacement relationship and failure mode etc
for un-stiffened T-joints and investigate stiffened T-joints. Nonlinear static analysis was
accomplished. Fig.3 for un-stiffened joint and Fig.4 for stiffened joint with 2 side stiffeners.
4.2 Verification of FE model
Axial Capacity of Circular Hollow Section T-joints using Grade HSB 600 Steel, Byong-
Jeong Choi (5), investigated the strength limits and various possible failure modes. Two test
series depending on the grade of steel, i.e., SHB600 and SS400. All chord members were
3,000mm and vertical members were 1,950 mm in length.
The present calculation by using CIDECT equations of the limit state of chord plastification
and of shear yielding (punching) are done for the same dimension of Specimen No. (1)
600M-t12-bt12 Fig.1. Good results are shown in Table 1 and the Nominal Strength obtained
is equal to 1852 kN, which compares well with 1828 kN for the same specimen.
Good agreement with the present analysis results using ANSYS program for the case
of Specimen No.(1) 600M-t12-bt12 Fig.1 which result is 2215kN comparing with 2750kN
the same specimen No. (1), refer to Table 1.

Fig. 11. Dimensions of the speciments.

(a)Example 1. (b) Present work

Fig. 12. Finite element analysis results

 Table 5. Nominal strength and yield loads

4.3 Material properties

The stress-strain relationships were analyzed by the elastic perfectly plastic (EPP) model. The
plasticity of the material was defined by the von Mises yield criterion. Its elastic property was
given by Young’s modulus E=200 GPa and Poisson’s ratio ν=0.3.

4.4 Welding element

Welding quality affects the ultimate strength of the joints, and the hot spot stress is sensitive
to the weld thickness of the joint. For construction of tubular joints, in order to ensure
complete load transfer among all members, the
minimum weld thickness requirements are defined in all welding codes. In this research, the
weld thickness of the joint was fully penetrated to prevent local failure in the welding joints.
Thus, modeling of the welding was not included in the finite element analysis.

4.5. Boundary and loading conditions

The boundary condition of the finite element models is that the nodes at the vertical member
and the chord ends are free and pinned, respectively. The loads were applied to the vertical
member along the axial direction. The displacement control mode was selected in the finite
element analysis with shell elements. Figures 6,7&8 shows some of the finite element
analysis results.

5 Results and Discussions

5.1 Comparison with experiment, analysis and design code
 Table 6: Joints Table Results:

5.2 Load displacement relation

Fig. 13. Load versus displacement obtained from LVDT1.

Fig.14. Load versus displacement obtained from Avarage LVDT2 & LVDT3.
Fig. 15. Load versus Ovalization obtained from Difference between LVDT1 &
AVR(2&3).

Fig. 16. Load versus strain obtained from St 10.

Fig. 17. Load versus strain obtained from St 11.

 Fig.18.

5.3 Failure modes

Fig.19.Failure mode for Un-stiffened joint

 Fig.20 Failure mode for stiffened joint with 2 side stiffeners

6 Conclusions

Enhancing T-joints subjected to brace axial compression forces using stiffeners was proven
numerically and analytically to be an effective technique. The strength increase is found to be
10-30% in case of using two side stiffeners which is a significant gain compared to the cost
and self-weight added. Increasing number of stiffeners closely to saddle area increases the
joint capacity.
1- There is a remarkable improvement on the static strength of a tubular T-joint under brace
member axial compression load with reinforced chord by adding two side stiffeners at
brace/chord intersection. The enhancing from 10% to 35%.
2- The failure region of the stiffened joint under axial compression load is improved and it
takes an ellipse shape than un-stiffened joints. It occurs in the zone of the intersection
between the side stiffeners plates and chord member.
3- For all specimens tubular T-joints the failure mode was plastifications.
4- P ultimate from experimental is closed to P ultimate from finite element analysis., and
ranged from 0.93 to 1.17..

7 Reference

[1] CIDECT, Design Guide for Circular HollowSection (CHS) Joints Under Predominantly
Static Loading, 2008.
[2] American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Designation: E8/E8M − 13a,
Standard Test Methods for Tension Testing ofMetallicMaterials [Metric], Standards, Annual
Book of ASTM, 2013.
[3] Xiaoyi Lan, FanWang ⁎, Chen Ning, Xiaofeng Xu, Xiaorong Pan, Zhifeng Luo, Strength
of internally ring-stiffened tubular DT-joints subjected to brace axial loading, Journal of
Constructional Steel Research 125 (2016) 88–94.
[4] Mina S. Iskander, Amr A. Shaat, Ezzeldin Y. Sayed-Ahmed, Emam A. Soliman,
Strengthening CHS T-joints subjected to brace axial compression using through-bolts,
Journal of Constructional Steel Research 128 (2017) 555–566.
[5] Byong-Jeong Choi et al., Axial Capacity of Circular Hollow Section T-joints
using Grade HSB 600 Steel, International Journal of Steel Structures, 12(4), 483-494, 2012
[6] Ran Feng, Yu Chen, LinWei, Xianfeng Ruan, Behaviour of CHS brace-to-H-shaped
chord X-joints under in-plane bending, Journal of Constructional Steel Research 114 (2015)
8–19.