Hot spot stress concentration factor for tubular CHS-to-RHS Y-joints under in-plane bending
Yin Yue1,2 Zheng Li1 Han Qinghua1,2 Lei Peng1,3
1. School of Civil Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
2. Key Laboratory of Coast Civil Structure Safety of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
3. Central Southern China Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd. of China Power Engineering Consulting Group, Wuhan 430071, China
Abstract：In this work, the tubular CHS-to-RHS Y-joint under in-plain bending was studied by finite element method. Finite element models with detailed weld profile were generated for a total number of 152 tubular CHS-to-RHS Y-joints with various configurations. Hot spot stress and hot spot stress concentration factor (SCF) were determined based on the results of finite element analysis, which were verified by comparing with related test results. HSSCF distribution along the weld between chord and brace was discussed. It is found that SCF distributions of Y-joints with various configurations are almost the same. The maximum value of SCF occurred at polar angle ?=0° (crown toe), ?=135°or ?=180° (crown heel). The effects of dimensionless geometric parameters on SCFs at these feature locations were studied. Empirical formulas were established for the calculation of SCF at feature locations of tubular CHS-to-RHS Y-joints, by regression analysis. The SCF calculated by empirical formulas agreed very well with the results of finite element analysis. Therefore, SCF at the feature locations of tubular CHS-to-RHS Y-joints under in-plane bending can be determined accurately by the presented empirical formulas.
