Column web component under out‐of‐plane loading: experimental and numerical studies

Characterization of the column web under out‐of‐plane tension or compression (CWOP) is required for the application of the component method to the design of joints in which a beam is directly attached to a column web (open sections) or face (hollow sections). This component, however, is neither covered by the current version of the Eurocode EN 1993‐1‐8 (2005), nor its ongoing revision. While several researchers have worked on characterizing the column faces, primarily in welded tubular section connections, only a few studied the component in open sections. A set of experimental campaigns are currently underway at the University of Coimbra to characterize the resistance and stiffness of connections bolted to the webs of hot‐rolled and welded columns. The current paper highlights the experimental results of two tests and calibration of their numerical models.