Simplified design recommendations for beam-to-column joints according to Eurocode

The design rules in EN 1993-1-8 (the Eurocode) for beam-to-column joints in steel frames with endplate are based on the component method. Generally, three different zones of the joint are considered: tension, shear and compression. The component method given in Eurocode is comprehensive, but quite complicated for engineering practice. The possibility of development of simplified recommendations for the design of beam-to-column joints is investigated in this paper. The aim is to define the limiting, critical, values of the dimensions of some joint components in the tension zone, such that the major failure mode becomes failure of the bolts in tension. This would lead to more simple calculation of the bending moment resistance of the joint which is valuable for engineers in practice. Three often use joint layouts are defined and parameterized. For those joint layouts the critical thicknesses of the joint components in the tension zone are analytically derived. A short parametric study is conducted verifying the proposed critical thicknesses of the endplate, column and beam flanges and webs. A design flowchart is provided following the proposed simplified design procedure and the design example is given, as well