Finite Element Simulation of a Bolted Steel Joint in Fire Using ABAQUS Program

The research on the performance of steel connections at elevated temperatures is of great importance for the understanding of structural collapses caused by fire; concerning fire safety in building design. The joints of any steel building are significant structural components, as they provide links between principal members. This study presents a detailed three-dimensional (3-D) finite element (FE) model of a steel endplate beam-to-column joint subjected to simulations at ambient and elevated temperatures. The model was defined using ABAQUS software, on the basis of experimental tests performed in Al-Jabri et al., 1999. Good agreement between simulations and experimental observations confirms that the finite element ABAQUS solver is suitable for predicting the behaviour of the structural steel joint in fire. Using the European standards (EN 1993-1-8, 2005), a component based model was also developed to predict the behaviour of the joint, and to compare against the FE model at both ambient and elevated temperatures. Comparison of the results provided a high level of accuracy between models, especially in the elastic zone. The validated FE model was used to conduct further studies with new 3D loading conditions in order to enhance the understanding of steel joints behaviour on fire. The Component Method model was extended and compared against ABAQUS model, providing useful results which enforced the use of this method on 3D. /Kir1