Strength Evaluation of T-type Tubular Joints for Circular Section Multi-Column Wind Towers

Due to reduced self weight and alleviated wind effect, the multi-column wind towers that consist of a number of circular tubes as vertical members interconnected with horizontal brace members can be a substitute for the large-scale single cylinder wind towers. It is critical to guarantee strengths of tubular joints where vertical and horizontal members are structurally connected in order to make the whole multi-column system behave as a single tower structure. In this study, strength evaluation has been conducted for T-type tubular joints that are applicable in multi-column towers. Four of available design codes, i.e., AISC, Eurocode3, ISO 19902, CIDECT have been investigated and predictor equations in the considered design codes were validated and discussed through parametric numerical study on slenderness ratios of chords and braces at joints.