A COMPONENT-BASED MODEL FOR BASE PLATE CONNECTIONS WITH STIFFENERS

The paper describes an analytical model to predict the moment-rotation-axial force response of column base plate connections including base plate stiffeners. The proposed model is based upon the theoretical background behind the well-known component method, which is employed in EN 1993-1-8 for unstiffened base plates only. The predictions of the proposed model were compared with numerical results obtained via finite element models of two selected sample connections. The comparisons show that the analytical model accurately represents the connection response as ob served with the much more complex nonlinear finite element analysis. The potentially important role of prying forces in predicting the connection response is also highlighted.