| A full-scale experiment on the load-bearing capacity and the failure mode of a two-story-frame was conducted to investigate the structural behavior of a new disk-type steel scaffold. And the non-linear finite element analysis was also carried out. In the numerical analysis, rotational springs and axial springs were widely used for simulating the semi-rigidity of joints and the connection stiffness of braces. Then the numerical model and the corresponding parameters of the new disk-type steel scaffolds were studied by comparing the results of experiment and numerical analysis. It shows that the effect of the braces' connection stiffness on increasing the load-bearing capacity and the lateral stiffness of the scaffold system is very obvious, while that of the semi-rigidity of joints is relatively inconspicuous. Consequently, the beam-column joints can be simplified as hinges.Basing on the results of experiment and numerical analysis, the improvements were made on joints of the scaffold. By using the software SolidWorks, the models of the new scaffold were built, and also the installation of them were completed.The full-scale experiment of the improved scaffold was conducted to checkout the practicability of it. And the failure mode was the destruction of the connective pin of a brace, which made this brace out of work. The non-linear finite element analysis was carried out on the structure in the experiment by using the parameter analysis method explained above. A lot of load-displacement curves were obtained in the case of different spring element stiffness. Comparing the results of the experiment with load-displacement curves, we confirmed the stiffness of each spring element and also the numerical model of the new type scaffold. The axial forces of each members of the scaffold were calculated by numerical analysis and compared with the experimental data to verify the accuracy of the numerical model. |
