FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

5 DESIGN OF CONNECTIONS (BS 5950-1, SECTION 6)

5.1 INTRODUCTION
Connections for structural steel works are generally made using either bolts or welds. The
choice between bolts and welds is influenced by several considerations as outlined below.
Advantages in the use of bolts over welds
(i) Common bolted connections employ simple tools and require lower levels of skill and
quality control.
(ii) Bolts are more suitable for site connections, especially where electric power supply is
unavailable.
(iii) Bolts are convenient for temporary / demountable structures since assembly and
dismantling is relatively easier.
(iv) Bolts are convenient in situations where future modifications are likely.
(v) Bolts have minimal risk of defects when sourced from certified manufacturers /
suppliers. On the other hand, detection of defects in welds may be difficult and may
require specialised equipment and skilled personnel.
Disadvantages in the use of bolts over welds
(i) Bolts require drilling of holes, which results in reduction of member cross-section
area and therefore capacity, particularly under shear and tension loads.
(ii) Large bolted structures may have significant increase in self-weight due to the weight
of the bolts and also the need for larger members to compensate for reduction of
cross-section areas at critical locations.
(iii) In simple connections, some joint play is inevitable. Where vibrations are likely,
loosening of connections may occur. To mitigate against this, it may be necessary to
use special high strength friction-grip bolts which are expensive and require some
skilled labour.
(iv) Bolted connections have bulky appearance and generally poorer aesthetics, which
may be an important consideration where the structure is exposed to view, e.g. in
exposed roof trusses.
(v) For structural members with small cross-section sizes and in minor elements such as
stiffener plates, bolts are not viable due to the requirements for holes.
(vi) For large repetitive jobs, pre-fabrication may be faster and cheaper using welds for
modules, with fewer site connections to be done with bolts.
(vii) Bolted structures are more vulnerable to vandalism, unless extra measures are taken to
secure structures.

5.2 BOLTED CONNECTIONS

There are several types of bolts used for structural joints, depending on performance
requirement.
(i) Ordinary Bolts
Bolts used in simple connections are specified in BS 4190 and have a hexagonal head / nut
and a circular shaft comprising a smooth shank and a threaded length (usually specified by
the designer) at the end. A circular washer is generally required under the part to be tightened
(head or nut). The nominal dimensions (diameter d and cross-section area A are measured
across the shank). The cross-section area is a minimum across the threaded length and is
referred to as the tensile area At (generally about 78% of the nominal area A).

PPM/2020 Page 1
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

Commonly available nominal diameter sizes are 12, 16, 20 and 24 mm. Other sizes (22, 27
and 30 mm) may be available on special order.
The bolts are available in two strength grades: mild steel G 4.6 (minimum yield strength 240
N/mm2) and high yield steel G 8.8 (minimum yield strength 640 N/mm2).
Ordinary bolts are used in clearance holes which are 2 to 3 mm wider, depending on size (see
BS 5950-1, Table 33), for connections where joint slip and vibrations are not important
considerations for design, which is the case for most building structures.
(ii) Precision Bolts (Fitted or Close-tolerance Bolts)
These are similar to ordinary bolts but are available in higher grade steel G 8.8 and G 10.9
(minimum yield strength 900 N/mm2) only. They are manufactured to BS 3692 specifications
to be used in holes which are drilled to a tolerance of 0 to 0.15 mm.
Precision bolts may be used in situations where joint slip or play is unacceptable.
(iii) High Strength Friction-Grip (HFSG) Bolts
These are also referred to as pre-loaded bolts. They are used with hardened washer under the
nut or head. They are tightened to specified torque in order to develop frictional resistance
that is required to transmit the joint load between interfaces of the connected members or
parts (figure 1).
HSFG bolts are available in general grade G 8.8 (BS 4395-1) and higher grade G 10.9 (BS
4395-2). The higher grade may have a waisted shank.
HFSG bolts are used where vibrations may be an important consideration in design (e.g. in
bridges); where joint slip is unacceptable under service conditions; and where rigidity of joint
is necessary in order to transmit or resist a moment (e.g. rigid joints of portal frames). They
generally require greater care and quality control in construction workmanship.

Bolt tension Frictional resistance

F
F

Section connected parts

Force F F

Pre-tensioned
HSFG bolts

Plan
Figure 1: Frictional resistance in HSFG bolts

PPM/2020 Page 2
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

5.2.1 Design of Direct Shear Joints

General recommendations for the design of bolted connections are given in BS 5950-1,
section 6.1.
Direct shear connections are the most common type in structures. Consider the joints shown
in figure 2. The axial force in the connected parts is transmitted across the joint through shear
in the bolts and bearing compression in both the bolts and connected parts.

Shear forces
F/2 in bolts

F
F/2
Section - bolts in double shear
Shear forces
F in bolts
F

connected
Section - bolts in single shear parts

e1 e1 is edge distance
Force F F e2 is end distance
g g is gauge distance
s is pitch distance
e1

bolts e2 s e2 This segment may tear off

if e1 / e2 inadequate
Plan
Figure 2: Joint in direct shear

Failure may occur in the joint due to one or more of the following causes:
1) Shearing of bolts at the interface(s) due to stress imparted on bolts by connected parts.
2) Bearing failure on contact surfaces in the holes in connected parts due to compression
stresses imparted by bolts.
3) Bearing failure on contact surfaces of bolts due to compression stresses imparted by
connected parts.
4) Shearing / tearing off of segments of connected parts due to stress imparted by bolts when
there is insufficient material to distribute stresses between the holes and edges or ends of
connected parts.
5) Tension failure in reduced cross-sections of connected parts at locations of holes.
Failures modes 1 to 3 and 5 are prevented by provision of adequate sizes / strengths of bolts
and connected parts. Failure mode 4 is prevented by ensuring adequate edge / end distances
and spacing between holes.

PPM/2020 Page 3
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

(i) Bolt Spacing

In order to ensure adequate material between bolts, the minimum spacing between centres of
bolt holes is specified as 2.5d for bolts in normal clearance holes (see Table 33). This may be
increased for wider or slotted or kidney-shaped holes, as appropriate.
In order to prevent accumulation of dirt or moisture between connected parts, the
recommended maximum spacing is 14t in the direction of stress and 16t or 200 mm,
whichever is less, in any direction, where t is the smaller thickness of the connected parts.
(ii) Edge / End Distances
Minimum edge / end distances e ensure that there is sufficient material to distribute bearing
stresses imparted by bolts in the connected parts. The recommended minimum values of e
depend on the finished edge / end condition of the connected parts:
For rolled / machine-cut / planed edges, min. e = 1.25D
For manual flame-cut / sheared edges, min. e = 1.40D
Where D is the hole diameter.
For similar reasons as for bolt spacing, maximum edge / end distances are specified as e = 11t
or (40 mm + 4t) for corrosive environment.
(iii) Single Shear Capacity of Bolt
The shear resistance of a bolt at a single shear plane is

Where is the design shear strength of the bolt material, depending on grade (Table 30).
is the cross-section area of the bolt in shear and depends on where the shear plane occurs.
If the shear plane occurs across the shank, area (nominal area); if the plane occurs
across the threads (tensile area) - it is generally recommended to use this value (see
BS 5950-1, section 6.3.1).
If there are two shear planes in a bolt, the shear capacity is doubled.
When there are two bolts at a connection, one of which is in a normal clearance hole and the
other in a kidney-shaped hole (as is the case in some truss joints), the shear capacity of each
bolt is reduced to

No reduction in the shear resistance of connected parts should be considered at cross-sections

where bolt holes occur, unless the net shear area, after deducting for holes,

Where is the gross shear area and is the effective net area coefficient.
Where reduction is necessary, the shear capacity of the connected part at the critical section
should be taken as

(iv) Bearing Capacity of Bolt

The bearing resistance of a bolt, based on the projected plane area of the contact hole surface,
is

PPM/2020 Page 4
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

Where is the bearing strength of the bolt material, depending on grade (Table 31).
is the bolt diameter and the thickness of the connected part (depth of the hole).
(v) Bearing Capacity of Connected Part
The bearing capacity is also based on the projected plane area of the contact surface and is

Where is the bearing strength of the material of the connected part, depending on grade
(Table 32).
is the hole coefficient which depends on the type of hole (= 1.0 for normal and 0.7 for
oversized or slotted, etc.)
is the end distance measured in the direction of stress. Notice that the limit of need not
be checked when the end distance (when there is risk of failure mode 4
discussed earlier).
(vi) Block Shear Capacity of Connected Part (exceptional case for thin plates)
When a thin plate element has a bolted connection subjected to shear near a free edge, there is
a possibility of a block of material tears off along the line of a group of bolt holes.
Consider the thin angle connected by bolts through one leg and subjected to tension due to
the applied load F as shown in figure 3. The shaded block of material may shear off along A -
A and rapture along B - B.

gusset plate or other member

B

This block of material

Lt may shear off
A A
F
Lv Bolt holes
B

Angle of
thickness t

Figure 3: Block shear in thin plates

The block shear resistance of the angle section is

The term in square brackets is essentially the effective length of shear plane of the shaded
block of plate.
is the length of the shear plane
is the length of the tension plane

PPM/2020 Page 5
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

is the net area coefficient (BS 5950-1, section 3.4.3)

is the hole diameter along the tension plane
is a coefficient depending on the number of rows of bolts (= 0.5 for 1 row; 2.5 for two
rows)
HOMEWORK 1
Carefully study worked Example 1 on tie splice connection (handout).

5.2.2 Design of Bolts under Direct Shear and Tension (BS 5950-1, Section 6.3.4.4)
Consider the bracket connected to the face of a support column flange shown in figure 4(a).
Such a bracket is typically used to support a beam carrying an overhead travelling crane in,
say, a warehouse or workshop building. The load on the bracket causes direct vertical shear
in the bolts and also tensile forces tending to pull away the bolts from the face of the column
due to the moment arising from eccentricity of the load.
B

P
e s
Column

D D
C UB cutting C
fillet welds
B B
A end plate welded A
to UB cutting

bolts

(a) Side elevation (b) Front view

Figure 4(a): Eccentric bolted face bracket connection
Fd = Ft
D
FFcc
C
yd
Fb
yc B
yb
A
Figure 4(b): Assumed distribution of bolt tension forces
For a simplified conservative analysis of the bracket assembly, the following assumptions are
made:
(i) The end plate welded to the end of the bracket is rigid and remains undeformed under
the system of stresses in the welds and bolts.

PPM/2020 Page 6
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

(ii) The centre of rotation due to the moment of eccentricity is located in the
bottom-most row of bolts (a less conservative approach is to assume that the centre of
rotation is located at the bottom flange of the UB cutting).
(iii) The tensile force due to the moment M in a particular bolt is directly proportional to
its distance from the centre of rotation.
Following assumption (i) above, the vertical applied load P is shared equally among the
group of bolts of the same size, i.e. if the number of bolts in the group is n, the direct shear
force in each bolt is

Following assumption (ii), the force in the bolts along row A, . Let the tensile force in
the bolts along row D, furthest from the centre of rotation, be Ft. Following from assumption
(iii), the forces and in the bolts along rows B and C, respectively, can be expressed in
terms of Ft as follows:

Taking moments of tensile bolt forces about the centre of rotation (row A), the moment of
resistance of the bolt group is

Thus,

The applied moment of eccentricity M is equilibrated by the moment of resistance Mr, so that

From which the tensile force in bolt D is

For safe design, the following conditions must be satisfied simultaneously for the most
critical bolt in the group (in this case, bolt D),

where the nominal tension capacity of a bolt

is the tensile strength of a bolt, depending on grade of bolt material (BS 5950-1, Table 34).
In practical design, the bolt number and arrangement may be first assumed and then the size
determined by trial-and-error to satisfy the above strength criteria. Full design of the
connection requires checks on other criteria such as bearing capacities, bolt spacing, edge and

PPM/2020 Page 7
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

end distances, weld capacity and shear capacity of the end plate, especially at sections with
bolt holes (see earlier section 5.2.1).
The above simplified interaction equation is applicable when the bolt cross-centre spacing
, where B is the width of the bracket flange or end plate.
For a more exact design approach, see BS 5950-1, section 6.3.4.3 and Lam, Ang & Chiew:
Structural Steelwork - Design to limit State Theory, 3rd Ed. section 10.2.6.
HOMEWORK 2
1) General reading: Section 26.3.2 of S.C.I. Steel Designer’s Manual 6th Ed
2) Worked Example: Section 10.2.7 example (3) of Lam, Ang & Chiew: Structural
Steelwork - Design to limit State Theory, 3rd Ed.

5.2.3 Design of Bolts under Direct Shear and Torsion

Consider the lapped-plate bracket connected to support column flanges shown in figure 5.
This arrangement is a good alternative to the previous example. In this case, the load on the
bracket causes direct vertical shear in the bolts and also torsional shear in the bolts due to the
twisting moment (torque) arising from eccentricity of the load.
e P

e
H A

G B
Bolts column P
F C X X

E D

lapping
column plates
(b) Plan view

(a) Side elevation

Figure 5: Eccentric bolted lapped-plate bracket connection
y
H A

Fa = Ft
ra
G B
Fs
θ Fb
O x Fr
F C
θ Ft
Fc
Ft cosθ
E D
Fd Ft sinθ

Figure 6(a): Typical bolt torsional shears Figure 6(b): Resultant shear in bolt A

PPM/2020 Page 8
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

The analysis of the bracket involves the following assumptions:

(i) The lapping plates are assumed to be rigid and remain undeformed under the system
of stresses in the bolts.
(ii) The centre of rotation due to the moment of eccentricity is located in the
geometric centroid of the bolt group, O.
(iii) The torsional shear force due to the moment M in a particular bolt is directly
proportional to its polar distance from the centre of rotation and acts in a direction
perpendicular to the polar distance, e.g. Fa is perpendicular to ra (figure 6(a)) .
Following assumption (i) above, the vertical applied load P is shared equally among the
group of bolts of the same size, i.e. if the number of bolts in the group is n, the direct shear
force in each bolt is

Let the torsional shear force in the bolt furthest from the centre of rotation, say Fa=Ft.
Following from assumptions (iii), the forces , , , .... in bolts B, C, D, etc, respectively,
can be expressed in terms of Ft as follows:

Taking moments of bolt torsional shear forces on both sides of the column about the centre of
rotation O, the moment of resistance of the bolt group is

Thus,

The applied moment of eccentricity M is equilibrated by the moment of resistance Mr, so that

From which the torsional shear force in bolt A is

Substituting in terms of Cartesian coordinates x and y, measured from O,

The resultant of shear forces and in bolt A can be found from vector geometry as in
figure 6(b), i.e.

for safe design.

PPM/2020 Page 9
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

For practical design, the bolt number and arrangement may be first assumed and then the size
determined to satisfy the above strength criteria.
Full design requires checks on other criteria as in the previous example.
HOMEWORK 3
1) Worked Example: Section 10.2.7 example (2) of Lam D., Ang T.C., Chiew S.P.
Structural Steelwork - Design to limit State Theory, 3rd Ed.
2) General reading: Comparison of BS 5950-1 and EC 3-8: Sections 4.11 and 9.13 of
Chanakya Arya Design of Structural Elements (to BSs and ECs), 3rd Ed. 2009.

5.2.4 Design of HSFG (Pre-loaded) Bolts

HSFG bolts are used to resist shear, axial forces and combined stresses. They may be
designed to be non-slip under service loads; non-slip under factored loads; or as ordinary
bolts in shear / bearing connections.
(i) Slip Resistance
When designed to be non-slip under normal service, the slip resistance is
for safe design
When designed to be non-slip at ULS, the slip resistance is
for safe design
Where
is coefficient dependent on type of hole (1.0 for normal clearance hole)
is the slip factor (0.2 to 0.5, depending on surface treatment - see Table 35)
is the minimum shank tension, dependent on bolt size and grade (see SDM)
F is the factored design load.
(ii) Capacity after Slippage
When designed to be non-slip under normal service, the capacity after slippage
or , whichever is lower.
Where is the shear capacity determined in a similar manner as for ordinary bolts.
The bearing capacity for HSFG bolts is

(iii) Combined Shear and Tension

For safe design, the following conditions must be satisfied simultaneously for the most
critical bolt in the group,

, if non-slip under normal service.

Or , if non-slip at ULS.

HOMEWORK 4
General reading of section 10.3 and worked examples 10.3.3 of Lam D., Ang T.C., Chiew
S.P. Structural Steelwork - Design to limit State Theory, 3rd Ed.

PPM/2020 Page 10
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

5.3 WELDED CONNECTIONS (BS 5950-1, Sections 6.7 to 6.9)

5.3.1 Welding Process
Parts to be connected are first prepared and shaped to receive weld. An electrode is then
introduced at high voltage and the high potential difference between the electrode and parts to
be connected causes an electric arc to form across the small gap. The high temperature of the
arc causes both metal and electrode to melt, thereby enabling fusing of the metal parts as the
weld pool cools. The quality of electrode used depends on the grade of steel.
The molten weld pool needs to be protected against oxidation as it cools down. Usually
electrodes are coated with flux material (carbonates, silicates, manganese oxide, iron oxide,
etc.) which, when heated, produce a protective gaseous shield (commonly, carbon dioxide for
steel). The flux also forms a slag on the surface of the cooling weld, which protects it from
oxidation.
The welding process may be manual or automated (in a fabrication facility).

5.3.2 Types of Welds

Welds may either be butt welds (for end-to-end connections) or fillet welds (for connecting
parts at an angle to each other) as shown in figure 7. The shape of butt weld is determined by
practical consideration such as whether access is possible to weld from both sides of joint
(necessary for double U or V) or one side only (single U or V).

Connected
parts
Connected parts Weld material

90° fillet
Normal V

U Double V
Partial butt - fillet

Figure 7(a): Some shapes of butt welds Figure 7(b): Fillet welds
Welds may be continuous or intermittent with regular pattern of short lengths and gaps (not
recommended in external environments or where fatigue is a major design consideration).

5.3.3 Defects and Testing

Common defects in welds include the following:
(i) Incomplete penetration - the weld does not properly fill the gap between parts to be
connected.
(ii) Slag inclusion and porosity - flux material and gas bubbles may get enclosed within
the cooled weld pool.
(iii) Undercutting in side walls of fused parts - part of metal surface is melted away and
not subsequently filled by weld material.

PPM/2020 Page 11
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

(iv) Improper side wall fusion - a gap exists between the cooled weld material and surface
of metal to be fused.
(v) Over-reinforcement - too much weld material protrudes from surfaces of joined metal,
requiring subsequent grinding for good aesthetics.
(vi) Residual stresses in connected parts - this happens when parts to be connected are
somewhat restrained while undergoing expansion and subsequent contraction during
the welding process.
(vii) Distortions of connected parts due to expansion and cooling.
(viii) Tears and cracks in weld material and connected parts may occur sometimes due to
inclusion of slag material and hydrogen absorption as the weld cools down.
Many of the above defects may be prevented through skilled workmanship and quality
control of the welding process.
Tests for detection of defects include:
 Visual inspection for obvious defects such as lack of uniformity, over-reinforcement,
distortions, etc.
 Surface tests with dyes and magnetic flux to detect cracks.
 X-ray and ultrasonic tests to detect and quantify internal defects such as slag inclusion,
porosity and internal cracks.
Butt welds are particularly sensitive to defects, especially when likely to be subjected to
tensile stresses.

5.3.4 Design of Fillet Welds

(i) General Requirements
 Fillet welds must extend beyond the theoretical design length required for resistance
for at least one leg length s on straight runs or 2s around corners at each side of parts
connected (see figure 8). This makes allowance for local defects that might occur as
the electrode is introduced at the start, or withdrawn at the end, of a weld run.
 Where only longitudinal welds are used to connect a member, the lengths of weld on
each side of the member must not be less than the transverse distance between welds
(see figure 8).
 The minimum effective length of weld or 40 mm, whichever is greater.
 Single fillet welds should not be allowed at laps, unless restraint against opening up of
the joint is assured (see figure 9).
 Spacing of intermittent weld runs should not exceed 300 mm or 16t (for compression
members) or 24t (for tension members), whichever is less, where t is the thickness of
the thinner member at the connection.
 End runs of intermittent weld lengths must continue to the end of the member.
 The angle of intersection between connected parts should lie in the range
.

PPM/2020 Page 12
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

s L1
Fillet weld

2s
Angle of
Load thickness t A Tw

B 2s

s L2 Gusset plate or
other member

Figure 8: Example of longitudinal welds with end returns

connected parts
Fillet weld

t1
Lap
t2 Whichever is less

Figure 9: Fillet welds in cross-section of lapped members

(ii) Throat Thickness
Generally a weld resists load through shear along a plane whose width is described as the
throat thickness a. With reference to figure 10, the throat thickness is the distance between
two parallel lines, one passing through the edges of the weld (A - A) and the other passing
through the junction of connected surfaces (B - B). The dimensions s1 and s2 are described as
the leg lengths of the weld. Normally for a 90° fillet weld, s1 = s2 = s.
s2

A
a
Fillet weld
B
s1 Connected parts

A
B

Figure 10: Throat thickness of a fillet weld

PPM/2020 Page 13
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

(iii) Design Strength

The design strength of a weld depends on the grade of steel for the connected parts and the
quality of electrode used, e.g. for grade S 275 steel and matching electrodes class E35 (yield
strength Ye = 355 N/mm2) the design strength pw = 220 N/mm2. (see BS 5950, Tables 10 and
37).
(iv) Design Capacity
The capacity of a weld is based on the effective throat thickness a. For a 90° fillet with equal
leg lengths s; . In this case, the capacity of the weld is
N/mm or kN/mm run
For example, for grade S 275 steel and matching class E35 electrodes, a 6 mm size weld has a
capacity N/mm or 0.92 kN/mm run.
Where a weld is required to resist combined stresses, e.g. direct shear and tension or torsional
stresses, the vector sum of the applied design load stresses is checked against the capacity as
determined above (i.e. it is assumed that the resultant resistance in the weld is a shear stress).

5.3.5 Design of Direct Shear Welds

s L1
Fillet
weld

Load P Centroid axis of angle L3 P

(also centroid axis of weld group)

s L2 Angle
Angle
member
member
Gusset plate
Elevation Section

Figure 11: Example of direct shear connection - truss angle member

Consider the angle truss member shown in figure 11. For the design ultimate axial load P in
the angle, the weld geometry should be arranged such that the centroid of the weld group
coincides with the centroid axis of the member, through which the load acts, in order to
minimise distortion under load due to eccentricity.
If the weld group is considered to be of unit thickness, the shear load in the weld is

For safe design, .

PPM/2020 Page 14
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

If leg length s is chosen, the total length of weld required can be

determined. Pw can be obtained from capacity tables for given leg length sizes in design
manuals such as the SDM or calculated directly, since .
For minor members, mm. For external environments mm.
HOMEWORK 5
Carefully study worked Example 2 on welded truss tie connection (handout).

5.3.6 Design for Combined Direct and Torsional Shear in Welds

Consider the lapped-plate bracket connected to support column flanges shown in figure 12.
The load on the bracket causes direct vertical shear and also torsional shear in the welds due
to the twisting moment (torque) arising from eccentricity of the load.
b a
P
e
b a

Fillet column P
d welds X X

lapping
column plates
(b) Plan view

(a) Side elevation

Figure 12: Eccentric welded lapped-plate bracket connection
y
e
b a
B A
P
Ft
Fs
θ
d Fs
O x
Fr
θ Ft
Ft cosθ
C D
Ft sinθ

Figure 13(a): Weld group of unit thickness Figure 13(b): Resultant shear in weld at A

PPM/2020 Page 15
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

The analysis of the bracket involves the following assumptions:

(i) The weld material is homogeneous and isotropic.
(ii) The lapping plates are assumed to be rigid and remain undeformed under load.
(iii) The centre of rotation due to the moment of eccentricity is located in the
geometric centroid of the weld group, O.
(iv) The torsional shear force due to the moment M at a particular point on the weld group
is directly proportional to its polar distance from the centre of rotation and acts in a
direction perpendicular to the polar distance, e.g. at A the torsional shear Ft is
perpendicular to ra (figure 13(a)) .
Following assumption (i) and (ii) above, the vertical applied load P results in a uniformly
distributed shear stress if the weld is of uniform thickness. Considering the weld group of unit
thickness in figure 13(a), the normal direct shear at any point in the weld group is

The torsional shear at any point i along the weld and distance ri from the centroid at O is

Where is the polar moment of inertia of the weld group about O.

Now, . If the position of the centroid O is established, then values of second
moments of inertia and about the centroidal axes x and y can be calculated. For the
example in figure 13(a), the weld group is symmetrical about the x axis and therefore the
centroid can be found by taking first moments of area about some convenient vertical axis in
the plane of the weld. If the total area of the weld group is A and the centroid is located at
distance from axis BC, then taking first moments of area about axis BC and ignoring small
quantities,

Putting ,

Taking second moments of area about x axis and using parallel-axes theorem,

Ignoring relatively small quantity ,

Taking second moments of area about y axis and using parallel-axes theorem,

PPM/2020 Page 16
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

Ignoring relatively small quantity ,

The point furthest away from the centroid in the weld group, say A, has the highest torsional
shear value Ft given by

The resultant of shear forces and at A can be found from vector geometry as in figure
13(b), i.e.

for safe design.

In practice, the weld geometry is assumed and the weld size s selected from capacity tables
given in design manuals such as SDM.

5.3.7 Design for Combined Direct Shear and Tension in Welds

Consider the bracket connected to the face of a column flange shown in figure 14.

P
e P
Column
A A

UB cutting
fillet welds

B B
Fillet welds UB cutting

Side elevation Front view

Figure 14: Eccentric welded face bracket connection

b
0 Ft A Ft
A A
Tension zone Fs
yA
Fr
Neutral axis
d c X X At A - A
Comp. zone

B B
Fc 0
Figure 15(a): Weld group of unit thickness Figure 15(b): Stresses in weld group

PPM/2020 Page 17
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

The load on the bracket causes direct vertical shear and also bending stresses in the welds due
to the moment arising from eccentricity of the load.
Simple analysis of the connection follows two approaches.
Method 1
The classical theory of elastic bending is adopted, in addition to the following assumptions:
(i) The weld material is homogeneous and isotropic.
(ii) The vertical shear is distributed uniformly in welds of uniform thickness.
(iii) The centre of rotation due to the moment of eccentricity is located in the
centroid axis of the weld areas. Thus the welds above the neutral axis are subjected to
tension tending to pull the bracket away from the column, while below the neutral
axis the welds are subjected to compression (or zero stress, if the end of the bracket is
machined for direct bearing against the column flange).
Following assumption (i) and (ii) above, the vertical applied load P results in uniform vertical
shear. For welds of unit thickness, the shear is

The maximum bending stress in tension occurs in the top-most weld in figure 15(a) along A -
A and is

Where is the second moment of area of the weld group about the neutral axis for bending,
X - X. The vectors and act perpendicular to each other and their resultant is
considered to be a shear in the weld acting in an oblique plane whose width may be assumed
to be the same as the throat thickness of the weld (see figure 15(b)). From trigonometry,

for safe design.

As in the previous example, the weld geometry is usually assumed and the required weld size
is selected from capacity tables in design manuals or directly calculated.
Method 2
In a more conservative approach, the following assumptions are made:
(i) The vertical shear is entirely resisted by the web welds alone.
(ii) The eccentricity moment acts about the bottom-most weld along B - B.
(iii) The top flange weld along A - A resists all the bending tension.
Following assumption (i) above, the vertical applied load P results in uniform vertical shear.
For welds of unit thickness, the shear is

Following from assumption (ii) and (iii) above, the tension in the top weld is

PPM/2020 Page 18
 FCE 432: DESIGN OF STRUCTURES IB

for safe design, where welds may be of different sizes.

5.3.8 Design of Butt Welds

(i) General Requirements
 Full-penetration welds should be used when connecting hollow sections.
 Intermittent welds should be full-penetration welds.
 Unsymmetrical butt welds (e.g. single U or V butts) should not be used for members
in direct compression or tension.
 Where members of different thickness are to be joined, the thicker member should be
shaped to taper at a slope of 1:5 down to the thickness of the thinner member at the
joint.
(ii) Design Strength and Capacity
The design strength pw is the same as the strength of connected parts, provided electrode
matching the grade of steel are used (see BS 5950-1, Table 37).
The capacity of a butt weld Pw is the same as for joined parts for a full-penetration weld. For
partial-penetration welds, the reduced capacity across the actual depth of weld should be
checked against the design load.
HOMEWORK 6 (General reading)
1) Graham Owen & Brian Cheal: Structural Steelwork Connections.
2) SCI: Steel Designer’s Manual 6th Ed., Chapter 26
3) SCI Publication P212: Design of Simple Joints to BS 5950.
4) SCI Publication P358: Joints in Steel construction (to EC3-8).

PPM/2020 Page 19