Protected Zone - Directly welded moment connection

[skeletron]

I'm having a brain fart moment and can't seem to find any explicit info on this. How far would the protected zone extend for a directly welded moment connection (beam flanges CP welded to column flange)? My thinking is that the plastic hinge point would be at the flange connection at column face and the protected zone would extend one-half beam depth beyond this. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Harbringer80]

You need to look in the seismic steel manual from your post it's unclear which type of prequalified moment connection this is.

 

[skeletron]

It's a non-prequalified moment connection permitted by CSA S16 Clause 27.4.4.2 (via Clause 27.4.4.1.(a)). You are right though, that pre-qualified connections (dogbone, bolted flange plate, bolted end plate MC, etc.) all have defined protected zone but this permitted non-prequalified connection does not.

The one diagram in the AISC Seismic Design Manual (Figure 4-6 of 3rd edition) seems to illustrate areas where inelastic deformation can be expected (portions of the beam close to the column flange, in the panel zone). I realize this is just an illustration.