PRESENTATION OVERVIEW:
Column base connections are arguably the most important connections in steel buildings, transferring loads from the entire structure into the foundation. At the interface of steel and concrete, these connections are complex in terms of behavior, design, as well as structural interactions with the building frame.
This lecture will present our current understanding of these connections based on numerous studies, with an emphasis on AISC-funded studies conducted over the last 15 years. Exposed, slab-overtopped, and embedded connections will be discussed, addressing their response (strength, failure modes, stiffness, and deformation characteristics). Implications for design of the connections as well as the building will be presented. Prospective developments in base connection design will be foreshadowed, including a revision of the AISC Design Guide One, and the use of dissipative base connections in seismic design.
