Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Axial Tensile Strength of CHS X-Joints Reinforced with External Stiffening Rings

Abstract

To study the reinforcement effect of the external stiffening ring reinforced and unreinforced X-joints having a circular hollow section subjected to brace tensile load, an experimental and computer-simulated research has been done. Six full-scale X-joints are examined in this study: three reinforced specimens and three corresponding unreinforced ones. The test specimens cover different brace to chord diameters ratios (β) of 0.25, 0.51, and 0.73. The experimental facilities and detailed parameters are presented. The experimental results including failure modes, load–displacement curves, and ultimate capacity are analyzed and compared. Two failure modes, weld failure and chord plastification, are observed in the tests. The test results reveal an ultimate load enhancement in the reinforced joints by approximately 50% in comparison with the unreinforced joints and an initial stiffness increase of 248.1% for the β of 0.25 and approximately 49–76% for the β of 0.51 and 0.73. A finite element model using shell elements is developed, which accurately predicts the static performance of the X-joints subjected to brace tensile load with and without external stiffening rings.