Progressive Collapse Performance Evaluation of Shear Tab Connection Subjected to Column Loss

A shear tab connection is one of the most common simple beam-to-column connections that is widely used in steel structures. In ASCE41-17 (Seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2017) and DoD (UFC 4-023-03, Design of buildings to resist progressive collapse, Department of Defense, Washington, DC, 2009), the plastic rotation capacity of a shear tab connection is purely a function of the connection depth, which is over- and under-estimated, respectively. To address this shortcoming, the present paper tries to provide a better estimation of plastic rotation capacity under the column removal scenario by employing a validated finite element model and conducting a comprehensive parametric study under various effective parameters such as connection depth, adjacent span length, and connection plate thickness. In addition to improving the plastic rotation capacity relationship, since the connection depth and adjacent span length have a significant effect on the plastic rotation capacity of the connection, a new equation has been proposed in terms of these parameters. Also, the axial-shear force–bending moment interaction of the connection is investigated.