Many cases in structural engineering have illustrated the importance of careful attention to connections. The Northridge Earthquake of 1994 showed that the Special Moment Resisting Frame welded connection behaved much worse than anticipated during the event (four papers in Rens 1997, pp. 219-257). This is an excellent example of the dangers of extrapolating behavior from small test specimens to full-scale structures, and of why codes and standards continue to evolve.
References:
- Four papers are provided in Rens, K. L., editor (1997). Forensic Engineering: Proceedings of the First Congress. ASCE. New York, N. Y.
