Assessing the structural efficiency of hollow tubular steel inclined columns with variable moment-resisting bracings
摘要
In the wake of modern construction practice that minimizes the top storey floor area compared to the bottom storey, the inclined columns are inevitable when floating columns are avoided. Hollow tubular steel inclined columns with variable moment-resisting bracings are employed in modern construction to enhance structural performance, especially under lateral loads such as wind and seismic forces. These systems integrate columns' inherent strength and aesthetic appeal with strategically designed bracing to optimize load distribution and overall stability. In this study, inclined column specimens featuring knee-type moment-resisting bracings (conventional, 50 mm, 100 mm, and 150 mm) were investigated experimentally to evaluate the structural performance and identify the impact of varying bracing dimensions on load and displacement characteristics. In addition to this experimental work, an analytical study using the finite element analysis software ABAQUS was performed to simulate the behaviour of these column configurations. The experimental and finite element analysis results revealed that the inclined column member with 80° inclination and 50 mm moment-resisting bracings exhibited superior performance with a maximum ultimate load of 68 kN and 80 kN, respectively. This configuration also demonstrated a minimum displacement, emphasizing its enhanced stability, whereas the other configurations resulted in a minimum load-bearing capacity with maximum displacement, which reduced the structural efficiency. From the analytical study, it was also observed that inclined column members with 50 mm moment-resisting bracings exhibit maximum stresses and rotation angles that provide an ideal balance between strength, stability, and material efficiency compared to all the other members. Thus, a member with 50 mm moment-resisting bracing was considered as the optimum member.