A Fresh Look at Bolted End Plate Behavior and Design

End-plate connections of the typical configuration shown in
Fig. 1 are increasingly used as moment-resistant connections
in framed structures. However, end plates designed by the
prying force formulas in the AISC Manual of Steel
Construction may be unrealistically thick. The prying force
formulas were proposed by Nair et al.,
based on their work on tee hangers. Previously,
Douty and McGuire
and later Agerskov4,5 have presented other versions
of the same basic
model, and/or suggested adjusted coefficients to reflect test
results. The research in the U.S.A. and abroad on this topic
has been summarized by Fisher and Struik.
In the prying force method, the end-plate region around
the beam tension flange is considered analogous to a tee
hanger, as in Fig. 2. Hence, the terms "tee flange" and
"plate" or "end plate" will be used interchangeably in this
paper; "tee stem" will likewise correspond to the "beam
flange". Figure 3 illustrates the dimensions and forces
involved in the application of the prying force method. The
section at or near the face of the tee stem at which the
applied force is transferred to the tee flange will be
designated the "load line", L. (All the notation used in this
paper is listed in Appendix A.)
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