Estimates of ductility requirements for simple shear connections

Abstract

This chapter describes the estimates of ductility requirement for simple shear connections. As its name implies, a simple shear connection is intended to transfer shear load out of a beam while allowing the beam end to rotate without significant restraint. Simple Shear Connections must often be designed to accommodate some axial forces in addition to shear. These axial forces can be code required tying or robustness forces, or actual calculated forces. These axial forces tend to make shear connections less flexible to simple beam end rotation. This chapter develops formulas, which can be used to determine if this reduced flexibility will lead to progressive fracture of the connection. A simple shear connection is intended to transfer shear load out of a beam while allowing the beam end to rotate without significant restraint. The most common simple shear connections are the double clip, and the tee. Under shear load, these connections are flexible regarding simple beam end rotation because there is an element of the connection, which while remaining stiff in shear has little restraint to motion perpendicular to its plane. This is an angle leg for the double clips, a plate for the shear end plate, and the tee flange for the tee connection.