NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

This NCCI provides information on the design method for a bolted apex moment connection. It includes several simplifications which are explained throughout the document, to obtain simpler but conservative calculations. This NCCI references repeatedly to SN041 to benefit from the common approach to design apex and eaves connections and therefore only presents those contents specific for apex.

Contents
1. 2. 3. 4.
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Design model Parameters Weld design Potential resistances of bolt rows in the tension zone Assessment of the compression zone Force distribution in bolt rows Assessment of the shear resistance Limits of application Background

2 3 4 4 6 7 7 8 8

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

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NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

1.
1.1

Design model
Stiffness

For apex connections apply the same procedure as for portal frame eaves connection. See SN0411.1

1.2

Strength

1.2.1 General model

The general model for the design of apex connections is basically the same as for eaves connections, see SN0411.2.1, but with the following considerations: 1. The moment resistance, Mj,Rd, and the shear resistance, Vj,Rd, of the joint depend on the connected members and the basic components of the joint that make a contribution to the joint resistance: bolts, end plate, haunch, rafter web and flanges and welds, see Figure 1.1.
B
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4 6 1 5

M j,Ed VEd 3 3

M j,Ed VEd

2 A
Key: 1. End plate 2. Apex haunch

3. Rafter 4. Flange Weld 5. Web Weld B. Shear zone

6. Shear Bolts 7. Tension Bolts

A. Tension zone

C. Compression zone

Figure 1.1

Portal frame apex connection with bolted extended end plate

2. The procedure to determine the joint resistance is presented in Table 1.1.

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NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

Table 1.1

Procedure to determine Ftr,Rd and the joint resistance

Step

1. Calculate potential tension resistance of each bolt row in the tension zone 2. Calculate the design compression resistance in the compression zone 3. Calculate the effective design tension resistance of each bolt row 4. Calculate the moment resistance of the joint 5. Assessment for vertical shear forces

Ft, Rd(row) Fc, Rd Ftr, Rd

M j, Rd = hr Ftr, Rd
r

VEd VRd

1.2.2 Simplifications
For apex connections, apply the same simplifications as for portal frame eaves connections. See SN0411.2.2.
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2.

Parameters
ep ex p3 bp w

p2 hp

tp

d2 p db e pl

Figure 2.1

Portal frame apex: Parameter definition

bp epl d2

width of the end plate distance from the bottom of the tension flange of the haunch to the edge of the end plate pitch between the bolt row in the extended zone of the end plate and the first bolt row above the tension flange of the rafter Page 3

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

ep ex hp p p2 p3 tp

horizontal distance from the edge of the end plate to the bolt line vertical distance from the edge of the end plate to the last bolt row depth of the end plate pitch between bolt rows in the tension zone pitch between the last tension bolt and the first shear bolt pitch between bolt rows in the shear zone thickness of the end plate angle of the haunch flange Slope

For other parameters commons to apex and eaves connections see SN0412.

3.

Weld design

For the relevant components of the apex connection, apply the same approach as presented in SN0413 for eaves connection.
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4. Potential resistances of bolt rows in the tension zone

NOTE: EN 1993-1-8 uses the symbol Ft,Rd to refer to both the tension resistance of an individual bolt row and the tension resistance of one bolt. In this document Ft,Rd(row) has been used to refer to the tension resistance of the row. For each bolt row, the potential design tension resistance is given in EN 1993-1-8 6.2.7.2(6):
Ft,Rd(row)
Table 4.1
Component End plate in bending Rafter web in tension

= min Ft,ep,Rd ; Ft, wb, Rd

)
Section number

Components of the joint to determine the potential design resistance of a bolt row

Ft,ep, Rd Ft, wb, Rd

4.1 4.2

The potential design tension resistance Ft,Rd(row) for each bolt-row should be determined in sequence, starting from the furthest bolt row from the centre of compression (bolt row 1) and then progressing to the next one (bolt-row 2) until the last one, the closest one to the centre of compression, is calculated (see Figure 4.1). Assume the centre of compression is in line with the centre of the compression flange of the rafter.

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NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

r=3 r=2 r=1

Figure 4.1

Order of the determination of the potential design tension resistance of bolt rows in apex connection.

For simplicity and ease of calculations, the potential design tension resistance of each boltrow assumes that there is no overlap with other bolt-rows.
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This simplified approach leads to conservative results assuming that T-stub effective length leff is determined accordingly, see worked example SX031. The effective design tension resistance Ftr,Rd for each bolt row may be less than the potential design tension resistance Ft,Rd(row)

4.1

End plate in bending

The design resistance and failure mode of an end plate in transverse bending, together with the associated bolts in tension, should be taken as similar to those of an equivalent T-stub flange.
Ft,ep, Rd = min( FT,1, Rd ; FT,2, Rd ; FT,3, Rd ) ; accounting for prying forces and the three failure

modes (see SN0414.3).

leff

can be determined according to Figure 6.2, Figure 6.10 and Table 6.6 of EN 1993-1-8.

Alternatively a simple conservative approach as given below can be used. For an individual bolt row the following simplification can be made:

leff,1 = leff,2 = Leff

leff,1 is leff,2 is
the value of the value of

as shown in figure 4.2 below

leff leff

for mode 1 for mode 2

This method is based on the assumption that the effective length is always limited to a maximum distance of the pitch between bolt centres. Figure 4.2 and table 4.3 of SN041 illustrate this approach. Page 5

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

leff

leff

leff
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Figure 4.2

Effective lengths of the T-stub in apex extended end plate connections.

4.2

Rafter web in tension

The resistance of the rafter web in tension can be calculated according to EN 1993-1-8 6.2.6.8 as follows:

Ft,wb,Rd
where:

beff,t,wb t wb f y,wb

M0

beff,t, wc = l eff , see section 4.1

5.

Assessment of the compression zone

The resistance of the compression zone is the compression resistance of the rafter flange and web as given by the following expression in 6.2.6.7 of EN 1993-1-8.
Fc,Rd = Fc,fb, Rd

(h tfb )

M c,Rd

where h is the depth of the beam including rafter and haunch Page 6

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

Mc,Rd

is the design moment resistance of the beam (rafter + haunch) cross-section, reduced if necessary to allow for shear, see EN 1993-1-1 6.2.5. Mc,Rd may be calculated neglecting the intermediate flange. is the flange thickness of the connected rafter.

tfb

If the height of the beam (rafter + haunch) exceeds 600 mm the contribution of the rafter web to the design compression resistance should be limited to 20%. This means that if the resistance of the flange is t fb bfb f y,fb then:
Fc, fb, Rd t fb bfb f y, fb 0,8

Finally, Ft,Rd of bolt-row r should, if necessary, be reduced to ensure that, when account is taken of all bolt-rows up to and including bolt-row r the following condition is satisfied:

Ft,Rd Fc,fb,Rd
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6.

Force distribution in bolt rows

The force distribution in bolt rows in apex connections follows the same principles as for eaves connections, see SN0418. The Figure 8.1of SN041 shows the procedure for an eaves end plate connection. That approach is similar for an apex extended end plate connection; it is important to take into account that the positions of the tension and compression zones are different for apex and eaves (see Figure 1.1).

7.

Assessment of the shear resistance

The design shear resistance to vertical shear forces of the joint must be determined by accounting the contributions of the relevant basic components:
VRd = ns min (Fv,i, Rd ; Fb, i,ep, Rd ) ; see Table 7.1

where
ns
Table 7.1
Component Bolts in shear Bolts in bearing on end-plate

is the number of bolts that are required to resist shear, see EN 1993-1-86.2.2(2)
Components of the joint involved in the assessment of the shear resistance
Section number

Fv, Rd

SN041 9.1 SN041 9.3

Fb, ep, Rd

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NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

8.

Limits of application

The application of this document must be in accordance with the rules and relevant limits of application set out in EN 1993-1-8. A summary of these is presented in SN041 10.

9.

Background

See SN04111.

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NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections SN042a-EN-EU

Quality Record
RESOURCE TITLE Reference(s) ORIGINAL DOCUMENT Name Created by Technical content checked by Editorial content checked by Technical content endorsed by the following STEEL Partners: 1. UK 2. France 3. Sweden
Created on Thursday, February 24, 2011 This material is copyright - all rights reserved. Use of this document is subject to the terms and conditions of the Access Steel Licence Agreement

NCCI: Design of portal frame apex connections

Company LABEIN LABEIN

Date

Jaime Grijalvo Jose Antonio Chica

G W Owens A Bureau B Uppfeldt C Mller J Chica G W Owens

SCI CTICM SBI RWTH Labein SCI

23/8/06 23/8/06 23/8/06 23/8/06 23/8/06 30/8/06

4. Germany 5. Spain Resource approved by Technical Coordinator TRANSLATED DOCUMENT This Translation made and checked by: Translated resource approved by:

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