On the beam-to-beam eccentric end plate connections: A numerical study

Beam-to-beam connections are widely used in steel structures, especially in large floor applications and in cases where they are dictated by architectural restrictions. This type of connection is often designed without rotational restrictions (pinned connections), leading to relatively high bending capacity demands for the connected secondary beam, particularly when larger spans are employed. A commonly used practice to limit the above mentioned effect is to design beam-to-beam fixed connections at both ends of the secondary beam. Although joints transferring bending moments are covered in EN-1993 Part 1–8, there is no standardization for beam-to-beam fixed connections, often resulting in questions about their rotational capacity. Moreover, there is very little guidance on the design of beam-to-beam connections in the open literature. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the beam-to-beam eccentric end plate connections using finite element analysis following the experimental tests. The parametric study is conducted using experimental data to propose a reliable analytical model of structural behavior under monotonic gravitational loading. The eccentric end plate connection exhibited satisfactory rotational stiffness and bending capacity. The failure mechanism on the connection parts is also presented for a better evaluation of the key parameters affecting the connection’s structural performance. •Beam-to-beam eccentric end plate connections using finite element analysis.•Stiffeners and end plates are the critical components for failure.•The span of the secondary beam length directly affects the initial stiffness boundary.•Larger section sizes lead to the semi-rigid classification.•Level difference has an effect on the initial stiffness and the joint strength.