Static design of elliptical hollow section end-connections

Research to date on elliptical hollow section connections is very limited and does not include slotted end-connections. As a result, such connections need to be designed following methods used for other hollow structural sections. Nevertheless, current design provisions for these connections are still generally acknowledged to be inaccurate. The behaviour of statically-loaded slotted end-connections to elliptical hollow sections has been studied under axial tension loading, previously by large-scale laboratory experiments (published elsewhere) and herein by finite element analysis. Non-linear finite element models, validated by five large-scale laboratory test specimens, formed the basis of an extensive parametric study resulting in a further 302 ‘numerical tests’. With these data, an assessment of such connections has been performed, with consideration of prior international work on this topic. As a result, a new design procedure for slotted end-connections to elliptical hollow sections in tension is presented, which is shown to be a significant improvement over the application of current international design provisions.