Testing of the web-side-plate steel connection

The web-side-plate steel connection specified in the Australian Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) design manual on structural connections is commonly used in steel-frame buildings. When a concrete slab acts compositely with the steel beams and passes between their ends, the action of the web-side-plate connection is quite different to the bare steel state. A special test rig described in the paper has been constructed to simulate these states. Small plate specimens are used which avoids the need for a steel beam, thus considerably reducing the cost and time required to perform each test. Therefore, it has been possible to conduct a large number of tests and to examine the effects that cleat and beam web thickness, steel grade, bolt group geometry, bolt tension, etc. have on rotational behaviour and moment capacity. Some additional tests have been performed to investigate interference between the beam bottom and column flanges. Selected results from the test program are presented and briefly discussed.