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SUMMER 2010 Coventry University

Faculty of Engineering and Computing

M25BE

Advanced Structural Design Concepts

Instructions to candidates:

This is a closed book exam. Calculators are permitted.

Time allowed: 2 Hours

You must attempt all THREE questions.

For this examination you will be supplied with the following:

Formula sheet.

IMPORTANT: You must hand in this question paper at the end of

the examination.

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Question 1 (50 marks)

Check the adequacy of the external beam-to-beam connection shown in Figure 1 to transfer a factored ultimate limit state shear force of 200 kN from the secondary beam to the main beam for the following two cases: a) Connection consists of a single 8 mm fin plate double fillet welded to the main

beam and bolted to the secondary beam. b) Connection consists of a single 8 mm fin plate double fillet welded to the main

beam and welded to the secondary beam. Main beam: UB 406 x 178 x 67 (tw = 8.8, tf= 14.3). Secondary beam: UB 356 x 171 x 57 (tw = 8.1, tf= 13). Use Grade S235 steel and Grade 8.8 M20 bolts (A= 314 mm

2, As= 245 mm

2).

All welds have a throat of 4 mm. Make all the necessary checks according to EC3. Make appropriate assumptions for any missing information. If necessary, briefly outline what further checks you would have considered with more time.

Figure 1

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Question 2 (25 marks) a) In your own words define the structural concept of robustness and discuss

what 3 measures can be taken to enhance the robustness of a building. b) In the collapse of the walkways in the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City in

1981, discuss what measures could have been taken to enhance the robustness of the structure.

c) Discuss what measures you took in Coursework 1 (the structural design) to

guarantee an adequate level of robustness.

Question 3 (25 marks) a) Discuss the failure mode(s) you observed in the test for Coursework 2 and

how they relate to the Johanssen failure modes described in Eurocode5. b) Explain in your own words the “safe design theorem”. c) Can the “safe design theorem” be applied to timber structures? Discuss

based on your test observations.

oooOooo

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Useful information:

b: fub/fu , 1.0, e1/3d0, p1/3d0 -1/4

k1: 2.8e2/d0 – 1.7, 1.4 p2/d0 – 1.7, 2.5

302

,1,

M

nvy

M

ntuRdeff

AfAfV

35.0

02

,2,

M

nvy

M

ntuRdeff

AfAfV

EN10025 Steel Grade

Ultimate tensile strength f

u

Correlation factor

w

S235 S275 S355

360 N/mm2

430 N/mm2

490 N/mm2

0,8 0,85 0,9

0

,3 M

yv

Rdpl

fAV

2

,

6.0

M

subRdv

AfF

2

1,

M

ubRdb

dtfkF

afFF dvwRdwEdw ,,,

2

,3 Mw

udvw

ff