INTRODUCTION
Connections are found to be most important part of the steel design
process which helps to hold the primary structure safely by
transferring loads to supporting members in the structure.
Structural steel members are connected to one another by means of
welds or connectors like cleat angle, web plate, flexible end plate.
It is designed based upon member end forces existing on a
structure. It is up to them whether the construction is optimal and
stable.
They should be easy to fabricate but strong enough to withstand all
the loads.
The connection must be capable of providing enough rotation to
accommodate the deflection of the connecting beam in a ductile
manner.
1
WHERE IT IS PROVIDED?
To cater heavy loads to supporting members in a frame
To connect two different materials in a long span
In case of longer span where length of member is restricted for erection purpose
In the place of rcc members using embedded plate connection
To connect multiple members at common junction point
Beams at different levels
2
Types of connections
• Based on rigidity of connections, they are classified as:
• Rigid Connection: A rigid connection is incredibly stiff and doesn’t significantly affect the bending moment
diagram of the structure. . The higher the degree of fixity of the beam connection, the greater the ability to
transfer moments to the columns. It transfers moment between steel members.
• Semi-Rigid Connection: A semi-rigid connection is more flexible than a rigid connection but still not as
flexible as a pinned connection. It allows some rotation between members.
• Flexible Connection: Flexible connections do not resist any moments and allow rotation. They are usually
analyzed as pin support connections. In construction, this is achieved through fin plates and flexible end
plates. Beams are often designed as simply supported (flexible connections) to avoid expensive moment
connections.
3
Semi-Rigid Connection
4
RIGID CONNECTIONS
• A rigid connection is incredibly stiff and doesn’t
significantly affect the bending moment diagram of the
structure. An example is a portal frame structure that
uses haunches (rigid joints) with end plates, allowing
the transfer of moment.
5
Classification of connections
Riveted connections Bolted connections Welded connections
6
Riveted connections
A rivet is a mechanical fastener with a plane unthreaded shaft that’s inserted
through holes to join two or more parts together.
A permanently formed head at each end prevents the rivet from being
removed from the hole. A rivet has a pre-formed head at one head, called the
factory head. Another head is formed after insertion and it’s referred to as the
shop head.
While the connection procedure for riveted connections is same as that of the
bolted connection
Riveting is a forging process that may be used power to fix the parts together
by engrossing and fascinating by use of a metal part
7
Disadvantages of Riveted connections
It is associated with very high level of noise pollution
There is a need to heat the rivet till red hot color.
Skilled labors are necessary to inspect the connection.
The cost to remove the poorly installed rivet is very high.
The high-cost installation in the connection.
8
Welded Connections
• They can be created in the workshop or on-site.
• It is used when joining together two pieces that are perpendicular
or at an angle or during overlap (doubler plate).
• Most commonly used welds are fillet weld, full/partial penetration
butt weld.
• Fillet Weld is the most used type of welded connection. It is used
when joining together two pieces that are perpendicular or at an
angle, also known as tee joints or pieces that overlap, known as lap
joints.
Fillet weld
9
Full Strength Butt Weld – FSBW Full Strength Butt Weld
As the name says itself, should be designed to
transfer the full strength of the section as long as full
penetration is achieved.
The weld can be made between un-prepared edges
for thinner plates, but most of the time is made
between chamfered or bevelled parts.
It can be a one-side weld or preferably two side weld
as material thickness increases.
There are numerous types of butt welds, like square
butt welds, U butt welds, J butt welds, etc.,
but the most common is the V butt weld.
10
WELD SYMBOLS
11
PONITS TO BE CONSIDERED
• Also, the weld size is limited by the thickness of the base material.
• If the weld is too big, it can overheat the area and cause local damage.
• The maximum size of the weld needs to be 3/4 of the thinner plate.
• For example, if you connect two 10 mm plates, the weld should be at most 7-8 mm.
• This rule assumes that the weld is from both sides of the plate and it is a full length weld.
12
Bolted connections
Bolted connection is a method to join structural components with the help of bolts.
Bolted connections are more common than other types of connections used for forming structural
joints.
They’re simple to use and don’t require any extra equipment.
Bolted steel connections can achieve both pinned or a moment connection
13
Specifications for Bolted Connection as per IS 800
• Nominal diameter of bolt: It is estimated using Unwin’s formula, d=6.04√t, where t is the thickness
of the plate.
• Diameter of bolt hole: It is obtained by adding a nominal diameter of a bolt with the clearance
provided.
14
Pitch and gauge distance as per IS 800
PITCH
The center-to-center distance between the bolts in the direction of applied load
is known as the pitch of the bolts.
Minimum pitch distance should be 2.5d, where d is the nominal diameter of the
bolt.
The maximum pitch distance for tension members is 16t or 200 mm, whichever
is the minimum. For compression members, the maximum pitch distance is 12t
or 200 mm, whichever is the minimum. Here, t is the thickness of the thinner
member.
GAUGE
The distance between two adjacent bolts perpendicular to the applied load is
known as gauge distance.
For both(tension/compression), 32 tmin or 300 mm whichever is lesser
(perpendicular to the direction of stress)
In the case of staggered bolting, the above values for maximum pitch should
be increased by 50%, given that the gauge distance is not greater than 75 mm.
15
Edge and End distance
Minimum edge and end distance should be
1.7do for hand-cut bolts and 1.5do for machine-
cut bolts. Here, do is the diameter of the bolt
hole.
Maximum end and edge distance are given by
12t, where Ε=√250/fy and t is the thickness of
the thinner member.
16
Grade of a Bolt
The grade of a bolt indicates the properties of the bolt such as nominal ultimate tensile strength,
and yield strength. It varies from 4.6 to 10.9.
A grade of 4.6 means, 4 indicates 1/100 the of the nominal ultimate tensile strength of the bolt in
N/mm^2, and 0.6 indicates that the yield strength of the bolt is 60% of the ultimate tensile strength
of the bolt.
Thus a bolt with grade 4.6 has an ultimate tensile strength of 400 N/mm^2 and a yield strength of
240 N/mm^2.
Bolts with grade 4.6 are better for light structures with static loading, members that don’t need high
strength.
17
FIN PLATE CONNECTION
The fin plate connection consists of a length of
plate welded in the workshop to the supporting
member, to which the supported beam web is
bolted on site.
This connection is popular, as it can be one of
the quickest connections to erect and overcome
the problem of shared bolts in two sided
connections.
The fin plate is generally positioned close to the
top flange of the beam to provide adequate
positional restraint.
Its height should be at least 0.6 depth of beam
web to give adequate “nominal torsional
restraint.
18
Force transfer mechanism
• BEAM TO BEAM FIN PLATE CONNECTION
V (Vertical Shear)
N (Axial)
H (Horizontal shear)
Forces beam web fin plate through bolts supporting beam through weld.
19
BLOCK SHEAR PATTERN
INCOMING BEAM WEB IN SHEAR
FIN PLATE IN SHEAR
20
RECOMMENDED DESIGN CHECKS OF FIN PLATE CONNECTION
Check for bolts
check for shear
Check for incoming beam
check bearing capacity of beam web
shear capacity of beam web – to resist vertical shear & axial force
Block shear capacity of beam web – to resist vertical shear & axial force
Tension capacity of beam web
Bending capacity of notch – (i) to resist major axis moment induced due to vertical shear
(ii) to resist minor axis moment induced due to horizontal
shear
21
CONT….
Checks for fin plate
check bearing capacity of fin plate
shear capacity of fin plate – to resist vertical shear & axial force
Block shear capacity of fin plate – to resist vertical shear & axial force
Tension & compression capacity of fin plate
Bending capacity of fin plate– (i) major axis
(ii) minor axis
Checks for weld
Weld resistance between fin plate & supporting beam (web & flange)
Checks for supporting member
Pull out check for supporting beam web
22
Punching shear check
• This check is required for either single sided connections to a column web or unequally loaded
double-sided connections to a column web
• If the requirement is not satisfied, strengthening will be necessary.
The available supporting Beam/column web strength is not adequate to resist the axial force in the
beam. Member may be increased in size for an adequate web thickness or reinforced with stiffeners
or web doubler plates.
It is possible to improve the performance of a long fin plate by providing some stiffening plate. This
can prevent lateral torsional buckling of the plates.
23
OTHER PINNED CONNECTIONS
BOLTED DOUBLE ANGLE CONNECTION
WELDED/BOLTED DOUBLE ANGLE
CONNECTION
OFFSET BOLTED DOUBLE ANGLE
BOLTED UNSTIFFENED SEATED CONNECTION CONNECTION
24
OTHER PINNED CONNECTIONS
BOLTED/WELDED UNSTIFFENED SEATED WELDED/BOLTED SINGLE ANGLE CONNECTION
CONNECTION
BOLTED TEE CONNECTION WELDED/BOLTED TEE CONNECTION
25
Moment connections
• End Plate connection are used to transfer the Axial,
shear and Moment forces from beam to column.
Here End Plate is welded with beam and bolted to
column flange to transfer the forces effectively.
• Member Axial force will be transferred as tension or
compression force to flange.
• Member vertical shear force will be transferred as
shear force to web.
26
PRYING FORCE ACTION
• Mode 1: Complete Flange Yielding (Thin Plate & Strong Bolt)
• This mode occurs with a flexible connection flange (thin plate) and a strong bolt. What will
happen in this situation, on the application of tensile load, the flexible flange tries to elongate.
Whereas the bolt is rigid and won’t undergo much of an elongation, holding the connecting
flange tight to the surface (resulting in the double curvature). This makes the counterpart of the
connecting plate to induce a very strong prying force (refer the attached image below).
• Mode 2: Bolt Failure with Flange Yielding
• In this mode, the flange will be relatively rigid compared to the bolt. In this case, when a tensile
load is applied, the plate elongates. Since the bolts are flexible, they indeed elongate with the
flange and allows the flange to form a single curvature (refer the attached image below). Here,
the bolt is not resisting much, so the prying force created is little compared to the previous
mode.
• Mode3:Bolt Failure (Thick Plate & Weak Bolt)
• This occurs with thick plates and weak bolts. As the tensile load is applied, the plates which are
thick enough won’t elongate that easily. Meanwhile, since the bolts are weak, they fail even
before the plate elongates resulting in no prying force.
27
KEY POINTS
•The key take away from the post is that “the prying force if neglected could
result in failure of the connection“.
•Based on the connection geometry, the prying force can result in 40% of the
tension in the bolt.
•The calculation of prying force is not as simple as it seems, it is complex and
involves a lot of variables.
•The prying force will be maximum with thin plates and strong bolts.
•Thick plates and weak bolts won’t form a prying action.
28
RECOMMENDED DESIGN CHECKS OF END PLATE CONNECTION
Check for bolts
Shear
Tension using triangular force distribution
Check combined shear and tension
Check for end plate
check bearing capacity
shear capacity of beam web – to resist vertical shear
check bending capacity
Check for Beam
check beam web in tension
check beam flange in compression
29
Cont…
Check for column
Bending capacity of column flange
Check column web panel shear capacity
Checks for weld
Weld resistance between end plate and beam flange
Weld resistance between end plate and beam web
30
METHODS OF STIFFENING
The type of strengthening must be chosen such that it does
not clash with other components at the connection.
This is often problem with conventional stiffeners when
secondary beams connect into the column web
There are usually several ways of strengthening each zone
and many of them can contribute to overcoming a deficiency
in more than one area.
31
Beam to column flange haunch connection
Follow same required checks as done in End plate connection. The followings are additional necessary
checks for haunch connection
Check haunch flange in compression:
Forces acting on beam flange due to compression,
considering force due to Axial force, Major axis moment
are to checked.
Check beam web panel shear capacity with haunch
compression force at beam bottom flange.
Check for stiffener plate
Check for weld at stiffener plate
32
BRACE CONNECTION
The Axial load from the brace is transferred to beam
through the gusset plate, which is normally bolted to
the brace and connected to the beam by welds.
33
SPLICE CONNECTION
Column splice are required when two columns section
are of different depth or when length of column exceed
transportation limit as per site requirement.
Purpose of splice connection is to transfer all the forces
from one member to another member properly, without
disturbing the structural stability.
34
Force transfer mechanism
Forces Acting on Column Flange:
Member Axial force, Major axis moment and Minor axis moment will be transferred as shear force to
the column flange or column plate.
Forces Acting on Column Web:
Member vertical shear force will be transferred as shear force to column web or web plate.
35
Splice with end plate
36
Post connection
37
Q&A
38