Flexural performance of bolted built-up columns constructed of H-SA700 steel

The H-SA700 is a new high-strength structural steel that is more environmentally friendly and more suitable for mass production than conventional high-strength steel. A research program is underway to develop a new structural steel system that extends the benefits of H-SA700 steel to achieve sustainable and seismically resilient buildings. The envisioned system uses built-up columns that are fabricated from H-SA700 plates by high-strength bolts and uses these built-up columns in weld-free construction. This paper summarizes the first phase of the program, whose objective was to establish the flexural properties of the built-up columns. Three column specimens were fabricated and subjected to cyclic lateral loading. The tests demonstrated the very large elastic deformation capacity and stable inelastic behavior of H-SA700 columns. The flexural strength was not governed by fracture of the reduced section with bolt holes, but by inelastic buckling of the flanges. The strength was limited by the plastic strength of the reduced section. The test results were used to identify the key limit states and to develop a design methodology that addresses the unique behavior of the built-up columns. Finite element simulation suggested that bolt holes help distribute yielding over a wide area of the flanges, to supply some ductility and help avoid net section fracture of the flanges.