The Seismic Participation of Shear Plate Hinged Connections: A State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract

In steel structures, shear plate connections are commonly used to join beams to columns or girders. These connections, which are part of gravity systems, are typically considered pinned connections and are assumed to have no significant contribution to lateral load resistance during seismic events. This review presents a comprehensive study of previous research on the seismic participation of shear tab (shear plate) pinned connections and investigates the influence of several key parameters, including connection type (welded or bolted), hole geometry, beam depth, web and flange thickness, connection design methodology, and loading location. Studies have shown that coped beams, in addition to yielding, can experience two distinct failure modes: (a) lateral-torsional buckling along the span, and (b) local web buckling at the coped region. It has also been reported that approximately 25% of non-stiffened shear tab connections fail due to torsional effects. Experimental observations suggest that failure in long shear tab connections typically occurs along the weld line, whereas in conventional shear tab connections, failure is more commonly observed along the bolt line. Finally, a modified beam-line model has been introduced to predict the end moment and rotation of beams connected using shear tabs. Overall, this review highlights that, depending on the design approach and influencing parameters, shear tab connections can play an active and significant role in the seismic load-resisting behavior of steel structures.