Numerical Modelling of Steel Angles with Double-Shear Splice Connections Under Compression

Steel angles connected by bolts have been commonly used in transmission towers. Due to the limited length of steel angles, double-shear splice connections are generally adopted to connect steel angles in main members. The stability of this type of members remains unclear as a result of the presence of discontinuity and is difficult to evaluate using existing design methods. This study presents numerical simulations of steel angles with double-shear splice connections under axial compression. Numerical models are established for discontinuous steel angles and validated against published experimental results. Parameters including splice steel ratio, discontinuity location, slenderness ratio, and width-to-thickness ratio on the axial compression load capacity of steel angles are evaluated. A design equation is proposed based on numerical results to quantify the axial load capacity of discontinuous steel angles. Comparisons with experimental data and values calculated using Chinese design code demonstrate that the proposed equation can predict the ultimate load capacity of discontinuity steel angles with better accuracy than the design method in the Chinese code. Finally, a design equation is further simplified by eliminating the effect of parameters with limited influence on ultimate load under axial compression.