Experimental study on the hysteretic behavior of aluminum alloy gusset joint with rectangular hollow sections

Aluminum alloys were extensively applied in single-layer latticed shells owing to their exceptional mechanical properties, outstanding corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appeal. In traditional aluminum alloy grid shell structures, H-section components were widely utilized. However, the H-section components exhibited poor selfstability compared to rectangular hollow sections, whose limitation constrains the utilization of aluminum alloy single-layer latticed shells. To overcome this problem, a named ARH (Aluminum Rectangular Hollow) joint was developed using BOM bolts by some scholars, and the out-of-plane bending behavior was studied. This paper conducted out-of-plane hysteretic tests on four ARH joints with different bolt numbers and gusset thicknesses. Subsequently, a finite element model was developed to simulate the hysteretic behavior of the ARH joint. The simulation results were compared with the test results to verify the accuracy of the model. Then, a series of parameter analyses based on the developed finite element model were conducted. For the ARH joint, Analysis results showed that the decrease in bolt numbers and gusset thicknesses resulted in the weakening of the stiffness and bearing capacity, and the increase of bolt-hole diameters resulted in elevated slip deformation. Moreover, in gusset joints, joints with rectangular hollow sections have greater out-of-plane bending resistance compared to joints made from H-sections with the same section height and flange thickness.