Building Structure, Method of Making, and Components
AssigneeMitek Holdings, Inc.
InventorJesse Karns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A building framework includes plural column assemblies supporting plural beams supporting floors of the building, with the union of the column assemblies and beams forming beam-to-column (or beam-to-column-to-beam) joint connection assemblies according to this invention. The joint connection assemblies inventively include novel features which remarkably and surprisingly improve the distribution of strain and plastic deformation in the joint connection structure when subjected to extreme load challenges to the building structure (as may occur during earthquake, explosion, progressive collapse load conditions, or massive impact.
Claims15
A joint connection structure comprising:
- a column;
- and
- a beam supported by said column;
- a pair of elongate horizontal cover plates arranged in a vertically spaced pair sandwiching therebetween and united with an end part of said beam proximate to said column, and said pair of cover plates also connecting with said column so as to transfer force and strain between said column and said beam, at least one of said pair of cover plates at a distal portion thereof spaced from said column defining a yieldable portion adapted to communicate and distribute strain over a volume of said beam;
- whereby, during an extreme event effecting cyclic rotational movements of said joint connection structure said at least one cover plate is plastically deformed progressively within said distal portion thereof with successive cycles of rotational movement, and said beam is also plastically deformed progressively in said volume thereof.
A full-length beam assembly for use in a joint connection structure, said full-length beam assembly comprising
- a length of I-section or H-section beam stock;
- and
- at least one end portion of said section of beam stock carrying a pair of elongate horizontal cover plates arranged in a vertically spaced pair sandwiching therebetween and united with said end portion of said beam stock, at least one of said pair of cover plates at a distal portion thereof spaced from the respective end of said length of beam stock defining a yieldable portion adapted to communicate and distribute strain to said beam over an extended length portion thereof so that during an extreme event effecting cyclic rotational movements of said joint connection structure said at least one cover plate is plastically deformed progressively within said distal portion thereof with successive cycles of rotational movement, and said beam is also plastically deformed progressively adjacent to said distal portion of said at least one cover plate;
- and
- said yieldable portion comprising a yieldable tongue portion defined by said at least one cover plate and extending along a length dimension of said beam at said distal portion of said at least one cover plate.
A method of increasing the volume and length of steel at an end part of a beam throughout which plastic strain in a steel frame building is distributed, so that said beam absorbs increased strain during an extreme event, which extreme event effects plural rotational displacement cycles of joint connection structures of the building, thus preserving building integrity and human life, said method comprising steps of:
- providing a column;
- and
- providing a beam supported by said column;
- on said column providing a spaced apart parallel pair of vertically and horizontally extending elongate gusset plates sandwiching said column therebetween and united therewith;
- and providing said pair of gusset plates each with an extending end portion sandwiching an end part of said beam therebetween and united with said beam;
- providing a pair of elongate horizontal cover plates arranged in a vertically spaced pair sandwiching therebetween and united with an end part of said beam, and providing for said cover plates to unite with and connect said pair of gusset plates so that said pair of cover plates form the connection between said beam and said pair of gusset plates;
- defining in at least one of said pair of cover plates at a distal portion thereof spaced from said column a yieldable tongue for communicating strain into said beam and for progressively distributing strain into said beam over an extended length portion thereof with successive rotational cycles and increasing straining of said beam;
- whereby, during an extreme event said cover plate yieldable tongue is plastically deformed progressively with successive rotational cycles of said joint connection structure, and said beam is also plastically deformed progressively distal of said pair of gusset plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.