Comparisons Between Chinese and American Standards on End-Plate Connection Design

Bolted end plate connections are one of the main joints in prefabricated steel structures and composite structures. They are widely used in multi-story steel frame structures and portal frame steel structures. Bolted end plate connection has the unique merits of using fewer bolts, easy assembly, and less factory welding. In addition, the on-site erection is fully completed with bolt connection and less affected by weather conditions. Bolted end plate connections are applicable for member splicing, beam-column connection, column base, and steel-plate shear wall connection. Bolted end plate connections can be designed as rigid joints, semi-rigid joints, or hinged joints. The current Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 360-16) and Standard for Design of Steel Structures (GB 50017-2017) actively recommend the application of end plate connections. Other Chinese and American technical standards for steel structures, such as Technical Code for Steel Structure of Light-weight Building with Gabled Frames (GB 51022-2015), Technical Specification for High Strength Bolt Connections of Steel Structures (JGJ 82-2011), Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings (ANSI/AISC 341-16), and Prequalified Connections for Special and Intermediate Steel Moment Frames for Seismic Applications (ANSI/AISC 358-16) specify in details the design method and construction requirements of end plate connection joints. This paper analyzes and compares the provisions and calculation formulas related to the end plate connections in the current Chinese and American technical standards for steel building structures, and discusses in details the structural form, stiffness characteristics, bolt calculation, end plate calculation of end plate connection joints, as well as the local resistance of beam-column joint panel zone, focusing on the realization of the design concept, calculation content, and structural requirements of "strong joints" with end plate connection. Based on summarizing the available design rules of end plate connections in China and the United States, the similarities and differences of the technical standards in the two countries on the regulations of the resistance and stiffness of bolted end plate connections are quantitatively analyzed through examples.
The analysis results show that the current technical standards in China and United States have provided complete design methods of bolted end plate connection applying to steel structures, and they have similar calculation content and structural requirements. However, the design resistance of a single high-strength bolt given by American standards is higher than the result given by Chinese standards. Therefore, thicker end plates and more bolts are required to implement "strong joint" designed according to Chinese standards.