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Special issue of Journal of Structural Engineering, April 2002, Vol. 128, No. 4.

This special issue contains 14 papers reporting on design and construction issues that resulted from the observed behavior of welded steel frames following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The research in this collection was undertaken during Phase 2 of a study sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the SAC Steel Project. This collection includes a number of experimental studies that identify and verify reliable and cost-effective long-term solutions to improve the seismic performance of steel moment connections.

Topics include:

• general issues influencing connection performance;
• welded unreinforced beam-column moment connections;
• Reduced Beam Section (RBS) concept; plate-reinforced connections in a variety of detailing schemes, including the use of welded plates and welded flange plates; and
• the application of fracture-tough weld overlays.

Papers also discuss performance prediction and evaluation methods that allow design professionals to determine the confidence level of satisfying a performance level for a given hazard.