This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in civil engineering between Reidar Bjorhovde of the University of Pittsburgh and Andre Colson of the Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan, France. The project addresses a central issue in the analysis and design of steel structures; specifically, the reliability of semi-rigid connections of structural frames. The investigators will perform studies on a variety of structures from simple low- rise to multistory high-rise buildings to industrial structures. The objective is to establish criteria for determining the behavior of a variety of framework connections. They will develop models which reflect the random nature of connection elements. Dr. Bjorhovde brings to this collaboration significant experience in steel research and probabilistic methods of analysis and design. This is complemented by the French investigator's expertise in deterministic studies on the strength and behavior of steel structures for semi-rigid connectors. This research will provide complete data and a new methodology for the deterministic and probabilistic behavior of semi-rigid connections. The results could foster the use of semi-rigid connections by designers in the United States and lead to cost- effective designs and improved safety of steel structures.
