Full Scale Testing and Project Application of SidePlateTM Moment Connection for SMRF Using Deep Columns

Since the 1994 Northridge earthquake a significant amount of research and development projects have been undertaken on seismic behavior and the design of steel moment frames. In almost all of these research projects, the columns used in testing or analyses have been W14 or smaller sections. The SAC Steel Joint Venture Project was one of them. However, in many cases of moment frames, the governing factor is the frame stiffness, therefore the use of deep columns for Special Moment Resisting Frames (SMRF) becomes economical and attractive to engineers, architects, and owners. Since there is no extensive and reliable information on the actual cyclic behavior and the design of moment frames with deep columns, a project specific testing program was established for a new seven (7)-story nursing tower in San Diego, California. SidePlateTM moment connections with W30 columns were used for the design of the project. A total of three full-scale beam-column subassemblies were tested at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) using W36x256 beams and W30x261 columns. The loading sequence defined in 2002 AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings was used for the testing. The tests concluded that the proposed connection(s) for the project satisfies the two complete cycles of (1) Interstory Drift Angle of 0.04 and (2) Inelastic Rotation of 0.03 required by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). These criteria are more stringent than what are currentl