An experimental study on composite steel encased portal frame under cyclic loading

This research paper discusses the study on steel encased portal frame, which utilizes the shear connectors within the specimen to enhance ductility and ultimate load carrying capacity. Shear connectors can significantly boost the specimen’s overall strength and load bearing capability. To investigate this behaviour, cyclic static load test on one bare frame and three portal frames were conducted. The specimens have shear connector of spacing variation as 75mm, 100mm and 125mm which were tested at the rate of ±0.1 tonne per cycle. It has been noticed that when shear connector spacing reduces, the ultimate load bearing capacity improves. These tests enabled a detailed analysis through experimental process of failure, hysteresis curve plot, for all the three portal frames. In hysteresis curve, no pinching effect was found whereas yield strength was found to be increased.