Integrity of Bolted Angle Connections Subjected to Simulated Column Removal

Large-scale tests of steel gravity framing systems (SGFSs) have shown that the connections are critical to the system integrity, when a column suffers damage that compromises its ability to carry gravity loads. When supporting columns were removed, the SGFSs redistributed gravity loads through the development of an alternate load path in a sustained tensile configuration resulting from large vertical deflections. The ability of the system to sustain such an alternate load path depends on the capacity of the gravity connections to remain intact after undergoing large rotation and axial extension demands, for which they were not designed. This study experimentally evaluates the performance of steel bolted angle connections subjected to loading consistent with an interior column removal. The characteristic connection behaviors are described and the performance of multiple connection configurations are compared in terms of their peak resistances and deformation capacities.