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STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE 1: Calculate the design resistance of the connection detail shown below. The cover plates are made of S275
steel and connected with non-preloaded bolts of diameter 20 mm and class 4.6. Assume that in both cases, the shear
plane passes through the unthreaded portions of the bolts.

Design shear resistance

Design shear resistance per shear plane, Fv,Rd, is given by
αv fub A
Fv,Rd = 𝛼𝑣 = 0.6 For class 4.6 bolts
γm2

𝑓𝑢𝑏 = 400 𝑁⁄𝑚𝑚2 For class 4.6 bolts

A = 𝐴𝑔 = 314𝑚𝑚2 For 20 diameter of bolt
αv fub A 0.6 ∗ 400 ∗ 314
Fv,Rd = = = 60318𝑁 = 60.3𝐾𝑁
γm2 1.25
All four bolts are in double shear. Hence, shear resistance,𝐹𝑅𝑑 of connection is
𝐹𝑅𝑑 = 4 ∗ 2 ∗ 60.3 = 482.4𝐾𝑁
Bearing resistance
dt
Fb,Rd = k1 αb fu
γm2
𝑒 35
For edge bolts 𝑘1 = min (2.8 𝑑2 − 1.7 = 2.8 ∗ 22 = 4.45 ; 2.5)
𝑜

𝑝 70
For inner bolts 𝑘1 = min (1.4 𝑑2 − 1.7 = 1.4 ∗ 22 = 4.45 ; 2.5)
𝑜

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.

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𝑒 35 𝑓𝑢𝑏 400
For end bolts 𝛼𝑏 = min (3𝑑1 = 3∗22 = 0.52;
𝑜 𝑓𝑢
= 430 = 093; 1.0)

𝑝 1 70 1 𝑓𝑢𝑏 400
For inner bolts 𝛼𝑏 = min (3𝑑1 − 4 = 3∗22 − 4 = 0.81;
𝑜 𝑓𝑢
= 430 = 0.93; 1.0)

dt 6
Fb,Rd = k1 αb fu = 2.5 ∗ 0.53 ∗ 400 ∗ 20 ∗ = 54696𝑁 = 54.7𝐾𝑁
γm2 1.25
Bearing resistance of bolt group is
𝐹𝑅𝑑 = 4 ∗ 2 ∗ 54.7 = 437.6𝐾𝑁
Tensile resistance of cover plates

Tensile resistance of cover plates

The design tension resistance of the cover plates, 𝑁𝑡,𝑅𝑑 should be taken as the smaller of the design plastic resistance
of the gross cross-section, 𝑁𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 and the design ultimate resistance of the net cross-section at holes for
fasteners, 𝑁𝑢,𝑅𝑑 :

𝐴𝑓𝑦 (6 ∗ 140) ∗ 275

𝑁𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 = = = 231𝐾𝑁
𝛾𝑚0 1.0

𝐴𝑛𝑒𝑡 = (6 ∗ 140) − (2 ∗ 6 ∗ 22) = 576𝑚𝑚2

0.9𝐴𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑢 0.9 ∗ 576 ∗ 430

𝑁𝑢,𝑅𝑑 = = = 178.3𝐾𝑁(𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙)
𝛾𝑚2 1.25

Total ultimate resistance of connection i.e. two cover plates = (2 × 178.3) = 356.6KN.

Design resistance of the connection with class 4.6, 20 mm diameter non-preloaded bolts is 356.6KN.

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.

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EXAMPLE 2 Calculate the shear resistance of the welded end plate-to-beam connection shown below. Assume the
throat thickness of the fillet weld is 4 mm and the steel grade is S 275.

Ultimate tensile strength of S275 steel (fu) = 430 N/mm2

Correlation factor (βw) = 0.85

Throat thickness of weld (a) = 4 mm

Partial safety factor for welds (γM2) = 1.25

The design weld resistance per unit length of a fillet weld is

𝐹𝑤,𝑅𝑑 = 𝑓𝑣𝑤,𝑑 𝑎

Design shear strength of weld is

𝑓𝑢 430⁄
⁄
√3 √3 = 233.6 𝑁
𝑓𝑣𝑤,𝑑 = = ⁄𝑚𝑚2
𝛽𝑤 𝛾𝑚2 0.85 ∗ 1.25

𝐹𝑤,𝑅𝑑 = 𝑓𝑣𝑤,𝑑 𝑎 = 233.6 ∗ 4 = 934.4 𝑁⁄𝑚𝑚

Weld length, L = 240 − 2a = 240 − 2 × 4 = 232 mm

30𝑚𝑚
𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑓 = 232𝑚𝑚 ≥ {
6𝑎 = 6 ∗ 4 = 24𝑚𝑚
Ok

The shear resistance of the weld, 𝑉𝑤,𝑅𝑑 is

𝑉𝑤,𝑅𝑑 = 2(𝐹𝑤,𝑅𝑑 × 𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑓 ) = 2 ∗ 834.4 ∗ 232 = 433561𝑁 = 433𝐾𝑁

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.

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EXAMPLE 3. If the beam in Example 2 is to be connected to a column using eight class 8.8, M20 bolts as shown
below, calculate the maximum shear resistance of the connection.

Check positioning of holes for bolts

Given

Diameter of bolt, d = 20 mm
Diameter of bolt hole, do = 22 mm
End distance, e1 = 30 mm
Edge distance, e2 = 35 mm
Pitch, i.e. spacing between centers of bolts in the direction of load transfer, p1 = 60 mm
Gauge, i.e. spacing between columns of bolts, p2 = 90 mm
Thickness of end plate, tp = 10 mm

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.

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The following conditions need to be met:

End and edge distances, e1 = 30 and e2 = 35 ≥ 1.2do = 1.2 × 22 = 26.4 mm OK

e1 and e2 ≤ larger of 8t (= 8 × 10 = 80 mm) or 125 mm > 30, 35 OK
Spacing, p1 ≥ 2.2do = 2.2 × 22 = 48.4 < 60 mm OK
Spacing, p2 ≥ 2.4do = 2.4 × 22 = 52.8 < 90 mm OK
Spacing, p1 and p2 ≤ lesser of 14t (= 14 × 10 = 140 mm) or 200 mm > 60, 90 OK

DUCTILITY REQUIREMENTS

Since the supporting element is a column flange, the following conditions apply:

𝑑 𝑓𝑢𝑏 𝑑 𝑓
𝑡𝑝 ≤ 2.8 √𝑓
𝑦,𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒
Or 𝑡𝑓,𝑐 ≤ 2.8 √𝑓 𝑢𝑏
𝑦,𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑛

20 800
𝑡𝑝 ≤ √ = 12.2𝑚𝑚 > 𝑡𝑝 = 10𝑚𝑚 𝑜𝑘
2.8 275

BEARING RESISTANCE OF BOLT GROUP

dt
Fb,Rd = k1 αb fu
γm2
𝑒 35
For edge bolts 𝑘1 = min (2.8 𝑑2 − 1.7 = 2.8 ∗ 22 = 4.45 ; 2.5)
𝑜

𝑝 90
For inner bolts 𝑘1 = min (1.4 𝑑2 − 1.7 = 1.4 ∗ 22 = 5.7 ; 2.5)
𝑜

𝑒 30 𝑓𝑢𝑏 800
For end bolts 𝛼𝑏 = min (3𝑑1 = 3∗22 = 0.455;
𝑜 𝑓𝑢
= 430 = 1.86; 1.0)

𝑝 1 60 1 𝑓𝑢𝑏 800
For inner bolts 𝛼𝑏 = min (3𝑑1 − 4 = 3∗22 − 4 = 0.658;
𝑜 𝑓𝑢
= 430 = 1.86; 1.0)

dt 10
Fb,Rd = k1 αb fu = 2.5 ∗ 0.455 ∗ 400 ∗ 20 ∗ = 74620𝑁 = 74.62𝐾𝑁
γm2 1.25
Bearing resistance of bolt group is
𝐹𝑅𝑑 = 8 ∗ 74.62 = 596.86𝐾𝑁

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.

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SHEAR RESISTANCE OF BOLT GROUP

Design shear resistance per shear plane, Fv,Rd, is given by

αv fub A
Fv,Rd = 𝛼𝑣 = 0.6 For class 8.8 bolts
γm2

𝑓𝑢𝑏 = 800 𝑁⁄𝑚𝑚2 For class 4.6 bolts

A = 𝐴𝑔 = 314𝑚𝑚2 For 20 diameter of bolt
αv fub A 0.6 ∗ 800 ∗ 314
Fv,Rd = = = 120578𝑁 = 120.5𝐾𝑁
γm2 1.25
Hence, shear resistance,𝐹𝑅𝑑 of bolt group is
𝐹𝑅𝑑 = 8 ∗ 120.5 = 964𝐾𝑁

RESISTANCE OF WELDED CONNECTION BETWEEN BEAM AND END-PLATE

V w,Rd = 433 kN (see Example 2)

SHEAR RESISTANCE OF END PLATE (GROSS SECTION)

Plastic design 𝑉𝑐,𝑅𝑑 is taken as the design plastic shear resistance, 𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑

𝑓
𝐴𝑣 ( 𝑦⁄ ) 1889.6(275⁄ )
√3 = √3 = 300𝐾𝑁
𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑜 1.00

ℎ𝑝 𝑡𝑝 10 ∗ 240
𝐴𝑣 = = = 1889.8𝑚𝑚2
1.27 1.27

Two planes have to shear. Hence, shear resistance of end plate is

2 ∗ 𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 = 2 ∗ 300 = 600𝐾𝑁

SHEAR RESISTANCE OF END PLATE (NET SECTION)

𝐴𝑉,𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑡𝑝 (ℎ𝑝 − 𝑛𝑑𝑜 ) = 10(240 − 4 ∗ 22) = 1520𝑚𝑚2

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.

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𝑓
𝐴𝑣,𝑛𝑒𝑡 ( 𝑢⁄ ) 1520(430⁄ )
√3 = √3 = 301.9𝐾𝑁
𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑜 1.25

Two planes have to shear. Hence, shear resistance of end plate is

2 ∗ 𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 = 2 ∗ 301.9 = 603.8𝐾𝑁

LOCAL SHEAR RESISTANCE OF BEAM WEB

Shear area of web (A )
v web is given by
(𝐴𝑣 )𝑤𝑒𝑏 = 0.9𝐿𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑏 = 0.9 ∗ 240 ∗ 9.1 = 1965.6𝑚𝑚2
Where 𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑏 is the beam web thickness = 9.1mm
Local shear resistance of web, 𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑

𝑓
𝐴𝑣 ( 𝑦⁄ ) 1965.5(275⁄ )
√3 = √3 = 312𝐾𝑁
𝑉𝑝𝑙,𝑅𝑑 =
𝛾𝑀𝑜 1.00

BLOCK TEARING

𝐴𝑛𝑡 = (𝑝2 − 𝑑𝑜 )𝑡𝑝 = (90 − 22) ∗ 10 = 680𝑚𝑚2

𝐴𝑛𝑣 = 2(ℎ𝑝 − 𝑒1 − 3.5𝑑𝑜 )𝑡𝑝 = 2(240 − 30 − 3.5 ∗ 22) ∗ 10 = 2660𝑚𝑚2

𝑓𝑦
𝑓𝑢 𝐴𝑣𝑡 𝐴𝑛𝑣 ( ⁄ ) 430 ∗ 680 2660(275⁄ )
√3 = √3 = 656.25𝐾𝑁
𝑉𝑒𝑓𝑓,1,𝑅𝑑 = + +
𝛾𝑀2 𝛾𝑀𝑜 1.25 1.0

The maximum shear resistance of the connection is controlled by the beam web in shear and is equal to 312KN

STRUCTURAL CONNECTION DESIGN BY SOLOMON B.