| Summary: | Thesis (M.Eng.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. Engineering and Applied Science Bibliography: leaves 168-170 The "Shear Lag Effect" reduces the ultimate net-section capacity of steel members due to uneven stress distribution at the connection zone. Bolted connections have been studied in detail for shear lag. The applicable design specifications for both bolted and welded members are currently based on the behavior of bolt-connected elements. There is a need for investigating such assumed similarities with weld-connected members. -- An experimental study was therefore carried out on welded steel members in tension. It included twenty-seven steel plate specimens and twenty-two steel angle specimens with different weld configurations. Analytical studies using finite element techniques were carried out. Material non-linearity including strain hardening effects and large deformation effects were considered in the analysis. The effects of various parameters were studied experimentally and analytically. Physical parameters such as length of member, size of member, length of connection, configuration of connections and material parameters such as ratio of yield stress and ultimate stress were considered. A study was also carried out to obtain an elastic solution using Fourier Series for discontinuous tensile loading. -- The relevant current design provisions of North American specifications have been examined. Efficiencies predicted by these standards were compared with the experimental results. Modifications to the standards have been recommended.
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