Improving The Seismic Performance Of Steel Moment Connections Using An Interlock Mechanism As A Replaceable Fuse Element: Numerical Study

Moment-resisting frame systems have been widely used in structural buildings. However, the risk of earthquakes requires a steel structure system that is tough, reliable, easy, and fast to repair after an earthquake. Recently, there has also been a paradigm shift in the design of moment-resisting connections. Research has been developed using energy-dissipating elements due to earthquakes with replaceable connections as a fuse element. The interlock mechanism has been widely developed in recent years and even was designed with the concept of replaceability. However, the research on the connections with the interlock that has been carried out is not for seismic connection. This research was conducted to understand beam-column seismic connection behavior with an interlock as a fuse element. Analysis was done through numerical studies with monotonic and cyclic loads due to earthquakes. The simulation was conducted using ABAQUS, the parameters analyzed connection failure patterns, deformability, force-displacement hysteresis, strength and stiffness, and energy dissipation. Based on monotonic loading, the strength of the interlock connection system is higher than the SSTSF. Meanwhile, based on cyclic simulation, there is no decrease in strength exceeding 20% when the rotation is 0.04 rad. Energy dissipation in the fuse components occurs only in the fuse components, and non-fuse remains elastic. These results show that the replaceable concept can be applied to interlock connection systems. The interlock connections will be quite good for use in earthquake-resistant buildings because the analysis results show that the performance of interlock connections meets the requirements of AISC 341.