The Behaviour of T-End Plate Connection to RHS. Part I: Experimental Investigation: Experimental Investigation

Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) members are often used as compressive members due to their good buckling stiffness. One of the simplest ways to connect tubular members is by cutting the ends and welding them together. However, depending on joint configuration and number of members connected, this may result in complex and expensive connections. The alternative would be to connect the members together through some other means. One of the most economical solution is to weld a cap plate to the tube (CHS or RHS) and then to weld on it a cleat plate. The connection could be made entirely in the workshop, thus reducing labor work on site. This chapter investigates the behavior of welded T-end plate connections through a series of tests. The DENISON machine with a capacity of 500 kN is used for the testing of joints. A tensile load is applied in increments of 10 kN up to failure. The strains and deformations are recorded for each load increment into a computer logged to the testing machine. The results suggest that considerable stress re-distribution and strain hardening takes place after the first yield. More tests are under way for true rectangular hollow section tubes.