234 S T E E L D E S I G N E R S ’ H A N D B O O K

weld is as strong as the joined plate elements and no further calculation is required (if the
plates have been already sized for the design loads). If the lower quality GP category is
used instead of the SP category for this connection type (i.e. with φ = 0.6), the CPBW
will have a lower design capacity than each of the two similar connected plates by a factor
of (0.6/0.9=) 0.667.
8.7.1.3 Incomplete penetration butt welds (IPBW)
As the weld fusion in a IPBW does not cover the full depth of the joint, Clause 9.7.2.7(b)
of AS 4100 states that IPBW are to be designed as fillet welds (see Section 8.7.2). The
design throat thickness for IPBW are noted in Clause 9.7.2.3(b) of AS 4100, Section
8.6.1 of this Handbook and shown typically in Figure 8.13(g) and (h). The capacity
reduction factor, φ, for IPBW is also the same as that for fillet welds.

8.7.2 Fillet welds

Stress distribution in a fillet weld is extremely complex, and certain simplifying
assumptions are necessary to facilitate the design. The usual assumptions are:
(a) The failure plane intersects the root of the fillet and has an inclination such that it is
at right angles to the hypotenuse of the theoretical weld shape of a 90-degree isosceles
triangle (with the corner at the 90-degree angle being regarded as the weld root). See
Figure 8.15(b).
(b) The stresses (normal and shear) on this failure plane are uniformly distributed.
The above assumptions become quite realistic at the ultimate limit state of the weld as
plastic deformations take place. In general, the resultant forces acting on the failure plane
may be composed of:
• shear force parallel to the weld longitudinal axis
• shear force perpendicular to the weld longitudinal axis and in the theoretical failure
plane (Figure 8.15(b))
• normal force (compressive or tensile) to the theoretical plane (Figure 8.15(b)).
Clause 9.7.3.10 of AS 4100 provides a method for evaluating the design capacity of
single fillet welds. The method is based on the premise that the capacity of a fillet weld
is determined by the nominal shear capacity across the weld throat/failure plane (Figure
8.15(b)) such that:
vw = nominal capacity of a fillet weld per unit length
= 0.6fuw t t k r
where
fuw = nominal tensile strength of the weld metal
tt = design throat thickness (see Figure 8.15(b), for equal leg fillet
welds, tt is equal to tw /Ï2w where tw = the fillet weld leg length)
kr = reduction factor to account for welded lap connection length (lw)
= 1.0 for lw < 1.7 m
= 1.10 – 0.06lw for 1.7 , lw < 8.0 m
= 0.62 for lw . 8.0 m