Steelwork connections. The robustness of simple connections

A series of tests was conducted by the Building Research Establishment to investigate the ability of simple steelwork connections to resist tying forces. The programme was devised to cover a representative range of practical building construction. The smallest specimens were chosen as the lightest connections that could occur in practice. The largest are representative of medium-scale construction. Details of each test are, summarised. The test programme comprised the following. (1) 11 tests on double web cleat beam-to-column connections subject to tying forces. Most of the connections were to the column flange, but one specimen (A2) was to the column web. (2) 10 tests on flexible endplate beam-to-column connections subject to tying forces. Two of the specimens were into the column web. The behaviour in tension of the two types of connection is sufficiently different to require different methods of analysis: that for web cleats recognises that, under large displacements, the cleats pull partially straight, significantly reducing the local eccentricities and bending moments.