WELDED CONNECTIONS

• Welding is a process in which two pieces of metal are fused together by

heat to form a joint. It is usually accompanied by the addition of filler metal
from an electrode. Structural welds are usually made by the manual
shielded metal‐arc welding (SMAW).
• The SMAW process is designed primarily for manual application and is
used in both the shop and the field.
 WELDED CONNECTIONS
• Welding Machine • Welding Electrodes
 WELDED CONNECTIONS
• Welding Electrodes

E 6013
Electrode

Minimum Tensile Strength (ksi)

Indicates the welding position in which the

electrode is capable of making sound welds
1: all positions: flat, horizontal, vertical,
overhead
2: flat and horizontal positions
3: flat position only
Refers to the electric current
supply and the type of
coating of the electrode
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Welding Electrodes
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Welding Positions
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Welding Electrodes
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Types of Welds and Joints
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Joint Types
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Typical Fillet Weld
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Fillet Welds
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Groove Welds
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Weld Symbols
Fillet Welds
WELDED CONNECTIONS
Weld Symbols
Groove Welds
WELDED CONNECTIONS
FILLET WELDS

• In a fillet weld with equal leg sizes, where the cross‐sectional shape of
the weld is theoretically a 45° right triangle, the effective throat distance is:

Throat  Leg size x sin 45

 0.707 Leg size 
WELDED CONNECTIONS
FILLET WELDS
• Tests indicate that a fillet
weld loaded perpendicular
to the fillet is approximately
stronger than when loaded
in a parallel direction.
• However, the AISC does not
permit this fact to be
considered when designing
welds.
• The strength of all fillet
welds are based on the
values calculated for loads
applied in a parallel
direction.
WELDED CONNECTIONS
FILLET WELDS

Allowable shear stress for weld metal is

Fv  0.3Fu
where : Fu  specified minimum
tensile strength of the electrode
The strength of a fillet weld per linear inch of weld is:
P  Fv 0.707 leg size   0.3Fu 0.707 leg size   0.212Fu leg size 
WELDED CONNECTIONS
FILLET WELDS

Minimum leg size of fillet welds

WELDED CONNECTIONS
FILLET WELDS

Maximum leg size of fillet welds

Example 1
Determine the allowable tensile load that may be applied to the connection
shown. The steel is A36 steel and the electrode used was E70xx. The weld is a
7/16” fillet weld.
Example 1
Solution:

1. Weld Capacity
Pt  0.212 Fu leg size total length 
7
 0.21270  5  6  5
 16 
 103.7 kips
2. Tensile Capacity of Plate
Pt  0.6 Fy area 
 4
 0.636 6  3
 97.2 kips
Example 1
Solution:

3. Block Shear
 4   7.5 in
A v  25 3 2

A  63   4.5 in 2
t 4
Pt  A v 0.3Fu   A t 0.5 Fu 
 7.50.358  4.50.558
 261 kips

Therefore, the allowable tensile load is 97.2 kips.

Example 2
Determine the allowable tensile load that may be applied to the connection
shown. The steel is A36 steel and the electrode used was E70xx. The weld is a
5/16” fillet weld.
Example 2
Solution:

1. Weld Capacity
Pt  0.212 Fu leg size total length 
5
 0.21270  82 
 16 
 74.2 kips
2. Tensile Capacity of Plate
Pt  0.6 Fy area 
 8
 0.636 8 3
 64.8 kips
Example 3
Determine the longitudinal fillet welds to develop the tensile capacity of the
plate shown. The steel is A36 and the electrode is E70.
Example 3
Solution:

Calculate the tensile capacity of the plate

a. Based on the gross area
3
Pt  0.6 Fy area   0.636 6   48.6 kips
8
b. Based on the effective net area
Assume U  0.75
 3
Pt  Ft Ae  0.5 Fu UAg  0.5580.75 6   48.9 kips
8
Example 3
Solution:
3 1 5
maximum weld size    in
8 16 16
5
in weld : Pw  0.21270    4.64 k/in.
5
Capacity of
16  16 
Pt 48.6
Total length required    10.5 in.
Pw 4.64
Use end returns with a minimum length of 2 x (leg size) :
5 5
2   in. Use 1 in.
 16  8
The length of the longitudinal weld required is
10.5 - 21  8.5 in.
8.5
 4.25 in. each side of plate
2
Example 3
Solution:

However, the AISCS stipulates that the minimum length of longitudinal

fillet welds must not be less than the perpendicular distance between them.
Therfore, use a minimum length of 6 in. on each side of the plate.

Check the assumed value of U  0.75 :

1.5w  1.5(6)  9"  l  6"  w  6" OK
Example 3
Solution:
Check block shear in the gusset plate
3 3
A v  2(6)   4.5 in 2
A t  6   2.25 in 2
8 8
Required force to cause block shear :
Pt  A v 0.30 Fu   A t 0.50 Fu   4.5(0.30)(58)  2.25(0.5)(58)
 143.6 kips  48.6 kips OK

1”
6” longitudinal
weld
Example 4
Design an end connection using longitudinal welds and an end transverse weld
to develop the full tensile capacity of the angle shown. The member is
subjected to repeated stress variations. Use A36 steel and an E70 electrode.
The angle is an L6 x 4 x ½ with the long leg connected to a gusset plate.
Example 4
Solution:

Calculate the tensile capacity of the plate

a. Based on the gross area
Pt  0.6 Fy area   0.636 4.75  102.6 kips
b. Based on the effective net area
Assume U  0.85
Pt  Ft Ae  0.5 Fu UAg  0.5580.87 4.75  119.8 kips
Example 4
Solution:
1 1 7
maximum weld size    in
2 16 16
7
Pw  0.21270    6.49 k/in.
7
Capacity of in weld :
16  16 
The resistance of the transverse end weld is
P3  6(6.49)  38.9 kips acting along the centerline.
Taking moments about line l1 , the resisting force P2 may be determined :
102.6(1.99)  P2 (6)  38.9(3)
P2  14.6 kips
P1 may be determined by summation of forces paralel to the length of the angle
P1  102.6  38.9  14.6  49.1 kips
Example 4
Solution:
The length of the longitudinal weld required
is based on the weld capacity per linear
inch, 6.49 kips.

l2 
14.6
 2.2" use 3"
6.49
l1 
49.1
 7.6" use 8"
6.49
Check block shear in the gusset plate
1 1
A v  8  3   5.5 in 2
A t  6   3.0 in 2
2 2
Required force to cause block shear :
Pt  A v 0.30 Fu   A t 0.50 Fu   5.5(0.30)(58)  3.0(0.5)(58)
 182.7 kips  102.6 kips OK