U.S. patent application number 12/804602 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-20 for bolted steel connections with 3-d jacket plates and tension rods.
Invention is credited to WeiHong Yang.
Application Number | 20110252743 12/804602 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44787059 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110252743 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; WeiHong |
October 20, 2011 |
Bolted Steel Connections with 3-D Jacket plates and Tension
Rods
Abstract
This new versatile steel connection has three unique features:
(1) utilizes three dimensional connection plates in a simple and
consistent manner, and is suitable for all possible connection type
that is made of steel W-sections; (2) uses through the depth steel
rods, coupled with typical web stiffeners to transfer shear and
bending moment across the connection. The shear transfer mechanism
is similar to stirrups in reinforced concrete beams; (3) all
components and parts can be prefabricated in shop, and conveniently
bolted together at field. The merits of the connections include
higher strength and ductility, stronger yet simpler connections,
higher quality, small components for easy storage and
transportation. In one word, it eliminates all of the inherent
drawbacks and problems of conventional bolted and/or welded
connections.
Inventors: |
Yang; WeiHong; (Sunnyvale,
CA) |
Family ID: |
44787059 |
Appl. No.: |
12/804602 |
Filed: |
April 19, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/849 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2001/2445 20130101;
E04B 2001/2448 20130101; E04B 2001/2496 20130101; E04B 2001/2463
20130101; E04B 2001/2415 20130101; E04B 1/2403 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/849 |
International
Class: |
E04B 1/38 20060101
E04B001/38; E04B 1/19 20060101 E04B001/19 |
Claims
1. Three dimensional jacket plates, comprising (a) A flat side
plate that cut into the shape of side projection of the joint; (b)
Pairs of clamping plates welded at the perimeter of side plate with
pre-drilled bolt holes. Note that clamping plates are always
perpendicular to the side plate.
2. Steel connections, made of the 3-D jacket plates as recited in
claim 1, comprising a) A pair of symmetrical jacket plates,
installed from opposite side of the frame or truss plane; (b) Shear
transferring tension rods coupled with typical web stiffeners; Note
that the tension rod, always in a plane parallel to the side plate,
is full depth flange-to-flange threaded rods with bolts at each
ends; (c) These are primary bolted connections, but optional field
welding is allowed when additional strength is needed. (d)
Conventional bolts and shear tags, gusset plates can be used in
combination with jacket plates, as far as they are not interfere
the jacket plates.
3. Buding frames that is connected together using all or part of
the jacket-plate-connections as recited in claim 2, including but
not limited to the followings: (a) Ordinary moment frames (OMF) and
special moment frames (SMF); (b) Eccentrically braced frames (EBF);
(c) Ordinary concentrically braced frame (OCBF) and Special
concentrically braced frame (SCBF), including but not limited to,
inverted V type, X type, any typical type; (d) Other steel frame
that is a variation and/or combination of the above listed
ones.
4. Steel trusses that is connected together using all or part of
the jacket-plate-connections as recited in claim 2, including but
not limited to the followings: (a) Vierendeel truss; (b) Typical
steel bridge truss; (c) Steel truss--N brace; (d) Other steel
trusses that is a variation and/or combination of the above listed
ones.
Description
[0001] A completely new type of structural steel connection is
invented. It is the jacket-plate-connection system using
3-dimensional connection plates and tension rods to achieve
exceptional structural performance that is superior to any
conventional connections, either bolted or welded, that use
2-dimensial (i.e. flat) gusset plate and/or side plates. The merits
of the novel connections include higher strength and ductility,
stronger yet simpler connections, higher quality, small components
for easy storage and transportation. Additionally, they eliminate
all of the inherent drawbacks and problems of conventional bolted
and/or welded connections. The present invention is a versatile
connections system that can be use in any steel frames and trusses
that is made of W-sections. It basically redefines concept of
structural steel connections, and has the potential to reform the
current market of steel construction. The economical and social
impact will be significant.
[0002] There are three very unique features of this connection
system: (1) For the first time in the industry, this invention
introduces three dimensional connection plates in a systematical
way. It addresses all possible connection type in a simple and
consistent manner. (2) This invention uses through the depth steel
rods, coupled with typical web stiffeners to transfer shear and
bending moment across the connection. This type of shear transfer
mechanism is similar to stirrups in reinforced concrete beams and
columns. Although being widely used in reinforced concrete
structures for many years, it is first time that the mechanism
being ever utilized in steel frames and trusses; (3) all components
and parts can be prefabricated in shop, and conveniently bolted
together at field. With this invention, it becomes practical to
build all steel frames without field welding, including the
following popular high performance seismic steel frames: special
moment resisting frame (SMRF), eccentrically braced frame (EBF),
and special concentrically braced frames (SCBF). (Note that there
are no all-bolted SMRF, EBF and SCBR at the current market, due to
the fact that traditional bolted connections cannot achieve the
required strengthen and ductility at practical costs. In other
words, these connections are all or partially welded
connections.)
LIST OF FIGURES
[0003] Index Sketch 1: Typical steel frames that are used in
building structures [0004] (a) Special moment frames (SMF); [0005]
(b) Eccentrically braced frames (EBF); [0006] (c) Special
concentrically braced frame (SCBF)--Inverted V Type; [0007] (d)
SCBF--Typical Type; [0008] (e) SCBF--X Type.
[0009] Index Sketch 2: Typical steel trusses that are used in
bridges and infrastructures [0010] (a) Vierendeel truss; [0011] (b)
Typical steel bridge truss; [0012] (c) Steel truss--N brace; [0013]
(d) Steel truss--V Type.
[0014] FIG. 1: Moment connection at top floor--corner condition
[0015] (a) Assembly view; [0016] (b) Components view.
[0017] FIG. 2: Moment connection at intermediate floor--side
condition [0018] (a) Assembly view; [0019] (b) Components view.
[0020] FIG. 3: Moment connection at top floor--interior bay
condition [0021] (a) Assembly view; [0022] (b) Components view.
[0023] FIG. 4: Moment connection at intermediate floor--interior
bay condition [0024] (a) Assembly view; [0025] (b) Components
view.
[0026] FIG. 5: Eccentrically braced frames--brace and link beam
details [0027] (a) Assembly top view; [0028] (b) Components top
view; [0029] (c) Assembly bottom view; [0030] (d) Components bottom
view.
[0031] FIG. 6: Special concentrically braced frame (SCBF)--Inverted
V details [0032] (a) Assembly top view; [0033] (b) Components top
view; [0034] (c) Assembly bottom view; [0035] (d) Components bottom
view.
[0036] FIG. 7: EBF and Inverted V SCBF--typical brace and beam to
column connection details [0037] (a) Assembly top view; [0038] (b)
Components top view; [0039] (c) Assembly bottom view; [0040] (d)
Components bottom view.
[0041] FIG. 8: EBF and Inverted V SCBF--brace and column connection
detail at foundation [0042] (a) Assembly top view; [0043] (b)
Components top view; [0044] (c) Assembly bottom view; [0045] (d)
Components bottom view.
[0046] FIG. 9: SCBF--brace and beam to column connection detail at
typical floor [0047] (a) Assembly top view; [0048] (b) Components
top view; [0049] (c) Assembly bottom view; [0050] (d) Components
bottom view.
[0051] FIG. 10: SCBF--brace and beam to column connection detail at
top floor [0052] (a) Assembly top view; [0053] (b) Exposed top view
with front jacket plate removed; [0054] (c) Components top view;
[0055] (d) Assembly bottom view; [0056] (e) Exposed bottom view
with front jacket plate removed; [0057] (f) Components bottom
view.
[0058] FIG. 11: SCBF--brace and beam crossing connection typical
detail [0059] (a) Assembly top view; [0060] (b) Components top
view.
[0061] FIG. 12: SCBF--brace crossing connection typical
detail--without beam condition [0062] (a) Assembly view; [0063] (b)
Exposed view with front jacket plate removed; [0064] (c) Components
view.
[0065] FIG. 13: Vierendeel truss--typical connection condition
[0066] (a) Assembly view; [0067] (b) Exposed view with front jacket
plate removed; [0068] (c) Components view.
[0069] FIG. 14: Typical steel bridge truss segment [0070] (a)
Assembly view; [0071] (b) Exposed view with front jacket plate
removed.
* * * * *