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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
INTRODUCTION
Splice connections of various types are considered in this chapter. Structural members are
spliced together to lengthen elements. Splices may be required when the design requires
elements that are longer than commercially available lengths. Splices may also be required
for members that are difficult to transport, hard to fabricate and erect, or simply because
the member contains changes in section size to save on weight.
This chapter primarily addresses bolted splices that are typically handled on building sites.
Welded and flanged splices are considered in the eGreenBook section.
In general splices have to transfer internal forces from the supported member to the
supporting member in accordance with the design assumptions of the engineer. Four bolted
splice connections are considered in this chapter:
(b)
(a)
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
(c) (d)
Figure 4.1: Splice connections: (a) Beam transferring only shear forces; (b) Beam
transferring shear forces and moments; (c) Gravity column transferring only axial
forces; (d) Column transferring axial, shear forces and moments
The spliced member must be as stiff and strong as the same member with no splice. Hence
the stiffness and stability of the joint is considered in this chapter.
What is not considered here is the capacity of the supported and supporting members
themselves. This chapter only looks at the splice connection. Also details such as surface
preparation in column bearing (e.g. to SANS2001-CS1), alignment, bolt holes, etc. are not
addressed.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
NOMENCLATURE
The nomenclature used in this chapter is:
Limit StateLoading condition of beams, columns, connecting elements, bolts and welds
beyond which they no longer fulfil the design criteria.
ULS Forces Ultimate limit state internal forces due to factored loads to be transmitted by
the connection.
Yielding Limit state from yielding of a section when its average stress reaches Fy
Rupture Limit state resulting from rupture of a section when its average stress reaches
Fu.
Supported Member that is supported – can be a beam or column.
Supporting Member that is supporting – can be a beam or column.
In Flange Lines
Number of bolt lines in the flange along the length of the flange.
In Flange Rows
Number of bolt rows perpendicular to the length of the flange.
This number refers to number of bolts in both the supported and supporting
members.
In Web Lines
Number of bolt lines in the web perpendicular to the length of the member.
This number refers to both the supported and supporting members.
In Web Rows
Number of bolt rows in the web through the depth of the member.
The number of bolts in the supported and supporting members is the same.
Plates
Flange Plate A plate that is bolted on the outside of each flange. It transfers the forces via
shear in the bolts. Its dimensions are: Flange Plate height x width x thickness,
or h x w x t
Inside Plate A plate that is bolted on the inside of each flange. It transfers the forces via
shear in the bolts.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Web Plate A plate that is bolted on either side of the web. It transfers the forces via shear
in the bolts.
Its dimensions are: Web Plate height x width x thickness, or h x w x t
Division Plate
A loose plate that is found between the supported and supporting members in
a gravity column. Its dimensions are: height x width x thickness, or h x w x t
Bearing Limit state resulting from crushing of one steel section that is in direct contact
with another steel section.
Gross Area Gross steel area that is not reduced to account for bolt holes.
Net Area Net steel area that accounts for reduction due to bolt holes.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
LIMIT STATES
In general, the following limit states are possible in a splice connection:
• Local resistance of the supported member.
• Resistance of the connecting elements.
• Resistance of bolts in the connection.
• Local resistance of the supporting member.
The lowest resistance of all the limit states controls, and is the resistance capacity of the
splice connection.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
STANDARDIZATION
Due to the large number of permutations and combinations that are possible, and due to the
large number of parameters that can be varied, some standardization is required to make
the problem tractable. The standard parameters used follow norms of engineering and
fabrication practice as well as incorporating results from experiments. The following
parameters have been standardized in the splice connections. This standardization is
recommended by the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction.
Symmetry The web and flange plates overlap the supported and supporting members to
equal lengths. The web plate is located in the middle of the smaller depth
member.
Bolts Bolts in the web plate must extend down past half the supported or supporting
beam’s depth.
Numbers of Bolts
The number of bolt lines in the supported and supporting members is the
same.
Inside Flange Plates
Inside flange plates have the same thickness as the outside flange plates.
They are the same length as the outside flange plates.
Bolt Distances
Web plate bolt gauge is: g = 55mm
Web plate bolt spacing is: s = 70mm for M20 and 90mm for M24
Edge distance is 35mm for M20 and 45mm for M24
Flange plate bolt gauge is: See The GreenBook Table 2.18
Flange plate bolt spacing is: s = 70mm for M20 and 90mm for M24
Spacing between the innermost bolts of the supporting and supported
members is 100mm for beams and 90mm for columns. This spacing applies to
both the web and flange inner bolts.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
EXAMPLE SET 1
Problem Statement
A beam made up of 457x191x67UB is to be spliced to form a longer member. The
connection is to have two lines of 4 M20 Grade 8.8 bolts in the web and two lines of 6 M20
Grade 8.8 bolts in the flange. The web plate thickness is specified as 10mm and the flange
plate is 12mm thick. The splice is shown schematically below. All steel is Grade S355JR.
Figure 4.2: Example 4.1 schematic of the beam splice. Beam: 457x191x67UB;
Web plate 10mm thick; Flange plate 12mm thick; M20 Grade 8.8 bolts.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Shear Capacity Vr
Check Bolts: Shear resistance of bolts.
First calculate the section modulus of the bolt group, Zbg
+
+
= = =
The shear capacity of a single Grade 8.8 M20 bolt is (GreenBook Table 3.7):
= .
.
*+
Check block shear on gross area (eGreenBook Eq 10.9):
+
= . & ' − +
+ . . &
/ − 0
=
*+
Check block shear on net area (eGreenBook Eq 10.10):
+
= . & ' − +
+ . . &
/ − −
− .
+
0
=
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
= = =
+
+
Bearing depending on edge and end distance (eGreenBook Eq 10.16):
= ( #" $, = .
=
Bearing depending on edge and end distance (eGreenBook Eq 10.19):
= (
#" $, = .
=
.
.
Check bearing (eGreenBook Eq 10.14):
#6 *$,
= = =
+
+
Bearing depending on edge and end distance (eGreenBook Eq 10.19):
= 7
#6 $, = .
.
=
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Moment Capacity Mr
Check Flange
Flange yielding on gross area (eGreenBook Eq 10.26):
8 = #$ $% = . & &
.
=
#$ $, = . . &
9 & − +
: .
=
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Unity Checks
The unity checks compare how far the capacity of the splice connection is from the applied
loads. The unity checks show that:
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
The spliced beam connection can also be solved using the Splice Connection multi-
dimensional digital table as shown in Figure 4.3.
Figure 4.3: Solving the beam splice connection Example 4.1 using the Splice Connections
Tool.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Summary of Results
The capacities and the controlling limit states for Example 4.1 for the spliced beam
connection are summarized in Table 4.1.
1
The limit state is obtained by placing the mouse over the moment and shear capacity Mr and Vr result in the Splice
Connections Tool.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Table 4.1: Moment and shear capacities of the spliced beam connection in Example 4.1.
Example Method Used Moment Shear Controlling Limit State
To Calculate Capacity Capacity
Mr (kNm) Vr (kN)
4.1 Hand Calculation 239 487 Moment: Bolt Shear
method of The Shear: Bearing on Web
GreenBook (2012)
Splice Connection Tool 174 532 Moment: Splice
Stability
Shear: Bolt Shear
Discussion
In this example the axial force is taken into account in the unity checks. The moment
capacity is calculated assuming no axial force applied. The moment capacity calculated
using the multi-dimensional table gives a value of 174kNm which is 37% less than the hand
calculations. The reason for the discrepancy can be seen in the controlling limit state. The
multi-dimensional table takes splice stability into account while the hand calculations do
not. The eGreenBook recommends that the stability of the compressive flange plate be
considered in a simplified manner by imposing a lateral load of 2% of axial load on the
splice plate.
Note that the hand calculations and the multi-dimensional tool produce different shear
capacities for the spliced beam connection. The controlling limit states are also different.
The reason for the difference is that the eGreenBook considers a bearing capacity based on
a bearing length of 3 bolt diameters irrespective of actual edge distance; the multi-
dimensional table evaluates two orthogonal components of bearing force and computes the
capacity based on the associated edge distances.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Problem Statement
A column consisting of 305x305x97UC is to be spliced to a 305x305x118UC column. The
connection is to have two lines of 4 M20 Grade 8.8 bolts in the flange, and two lines of 3
M20 Grade 8.8 bolts in the web. The flange and web plate thicknesses are specified to be
12mm. Figure 4.5 shows the column splice. All steel is Grade S355JR.
(a) Calculate the compressive axial, moment and shear capacities of the connection.
Ignore the applied internal forces.
(b) Perform unity checks if an axial compression of 1500kN, a moment of 200kNm and a
shear of 200kN is carried by the column splice.
(c) Calculate the maximum axial tension that this connection can carry when no moment
or shear is applied.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
@ = . . &
.
=
Thus axial compressive capacity of the spliced connection is:
Fr = 4502kN
@ = . . &
.
=
? = . − .
= &
Check Tension Flange
Flange yielding on gross area (eGreenBook Eq 10.26):
8 = #$ $% = . &
.
=
#$ $, = . . &
9 − +
: .
=
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
+
+
= = =
The shear capacity of a single Grade 8.8 M20 bolt is (GreenBook Table 3.7):
= .
The shear resistance, Vr, of the bolt group:
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
.
= = =
+
+
*+
Check block shear on gross area (eGreenBook Eq 10.9):
+
= . & ' − +
+ . . &
/ − 0
= &
*+
Check block shear on net area (eGreenBook Eq 10.10):
+
= . & ' − +
+ . . &
/ − − − .
+
0
=
= = =
&
+
+
Bearing depending on edge and end distance (eGreenBook Eq 10.16):
= ( #" $, = .
= &
Bearing depending on edge and end distance (eGreenBook Eq 10.19):
= (
# $ = .
=
" ,
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
.
.
Check bearing (eGreenBook Eq 10.14):
#6 *$,
= = =
+
+
Bearing depending on edge and end distance (eGreenBook Eq 10.19):
= 7
#6 $, = .
.
=
Unity Checks
Check if either flange is in tension:
Tuf = Mu/h - Fu/2
Tuf = 200/0.308 - 1500/2 = -101kN
Thus both flanges are in compression.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Check Bearing
Bearing compression on flange area (SANS 0162-1 Cl. 13.10):
@ = . #$ $%
@ = . . &
.
=
Unity Checks
Moment Mu/Mr = Cuf/Br = 1399/2251 = 0.62 < 1.0 OK
Axial Fu/Fr = Mu/Mr = 0.62 < 1.0 OK
Shear Vu/Vr = 200/378 = 0.53 < 1.0 OK
However, there are two flanges in tension, hence the maximum tension the splice can carry
is:
8 = 8$ × =
Thus the tensile axial capacity of the spliced connection is:
Fr = 700kN
The controlling limit state is: “Bolt Shear”
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Figure 4.6: Example 4.2 column splice connection using the Splice Connections Tool.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
The maximum tensile force that the spliced column can take is obtained from the Axial
Tensile capacity calculated by the multi-variable table as shown in Figure 4.7.
2
The limit state is obtained by placing the mouse over the moment, shear and axial capacities Mr , Vr and Fr result in the
Splice Connections Tool.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
Figure 4.7: Solving for the maximum tensile load the spliced column connection in Example
4.2 can take using the Splice Connections Tool.
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
A detailed sketch of the spliced column in Example 4.2 is given in Figure 4.8.
Table 4.2: Summary of results for the spliced column connection in Example 4.2
Method Used To Calculate
Hand Calculation Splice Connection Controlling Limit
Tool State
Moment 112 Bolt Shear
Capacity Mr 102 Bolt Shear
(kNm)
Shear Capacity 378 Bolt Shear
Vr (kN) 378 Bolt Shear
Axial Capacity Fr 4502 Flange Bearing
(kN) (Compression) 4499 (Compression) Flange Bearing
Axial Capacity Fr 700 (Tension) Bolt Shear
(kN) 701 (Tension) Bolt Shear
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SPLICE CONNECTIONS
The hand calculations and the multi-dimensional table solution are within 5% of each
other. The controlling limit states for the two methods are the same.
Discussion
The effect of the moment in the column splice is to change the effective axial force acting in
one flange. In this example, the loading was predominantly compressive as the moment was
not large enough to change the internal forces acting in the tension flange from the applied
compression to tension.
Care must be taken so that the abutting surfaces of the two columns are flush to place the
column ends into bearing. The axial capacity of the column splice in tension is significantly
smaller (15%) than in compression. As the controlling limit state for tension is “bolt shear”
increasing the number of bolts in the flanges would increase the column splice’s tensile
capacity.
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