2.

4 Design of butt welds

The design strength of butt welds should be taken as equal to that of the parent metal, provided
that suitable electrodes are used. If the parent metals are of different grades, then the design
strength of the weld should be assumed to be equal to the lower grade parent metal. However,
the electrodes used must be those suitable for the higher grade parent metal.
The throat thickness of a partial penetration butt weld should be taken as equal to the minimum
depth of penetration. Generally, the depth of penetration will be:
• For a “V” butt joint, 2 mm less than the depth of weld preparation
• For a “U” butt joint, equal to the depth of weld preparation.
A design consultant should only specify the required weld throat size. A fabricator’s designer
may wish to specify the weld preparation. However, a welding engineer who knows that the
required throat size can be achieved with less preparation is free to use less preparation.
The minimum throat size of a longitudinal partial penetration butt weld (e.g. at the corner of a
box girder, as shown should be 2√t, where t is the thickness (in mm) of the thinner part joined.

Corner joint with partial penetration butt weld

3.0 BASEPLATES
3.1 Effective area method
The actual distribution of pressure beneath a baseplate is extremely complex. BS 5950-1
assumes a uniform distribution of pressure beneath an effective area of the baseplate as shown
 2c+t

2c+t 2c+t
2c-T

Effective area of a baseplate

The bearing pressure is limited to the nominal bearing strength equal to 0.6fcu,
where fcu is the characteristic cube strength of the foundation or the bedding material at 28 days.
The effective area of a baseplate subject to compression is the area required to resist the axial
load Fc and is given by:
Effective area = Fc/(0.6fcu)
where:
Fc is the applied axial compression
fcu is the characteristic cube strength of the concrete or the bedding material, whichever is
smaller.
3.2 Baseplate thickness
Provided that axial load is applied concentrically the minimum baseplate thickness is given by:

[ ]
0.5
3w
t p=c
p yp

where:
c is the effective area outstand from the edge of the column section
w is the pressure under the baseplate based on an assumed uniform distribution of pressure
under the effective area (0.6 fcu)
pyp is the design strength of the baseplate
If the load is not applied concentrically, the moments in the baseplate due to the eccentricity
should not exceed the elastic moment capacity of the plate.
If moments are applied to the baseplate via the column, the moment in the baseplate should not
exceed the plastic moment capacity of the baseplate.
3.3 Connections to the baseplate
Compressive forces may be transmitted in direct bearing provided that surfaces met the
requirements of flatness for full bearing contact as given in BS 5950-2[1] Clause 7.2.3.
Otherwise, the welds or fasteners must be designed to transmit all the forces and moments.

4.0 HOLDING DOWN BOLTS

Holding down bolts should be designed for the effects of factored loading. Where they are
required to resist tension they should be properly anchored into the foundation by a washer plate
or other load distributing member embedded in the concrete as shown

Column

Weld

Baseplate

Grout

Holding down bolt

Washer plate

Holding down bolts and concrete base

Expanding and resin grouted anchors can be used, provided that it can be demonstrated that the
required performance can be achieved.
Holding down bolts and concrete base Rag bolts or indented foundation bolts that are grouted
into pockets cast into a concrete foundation should not be used to resist tension.
The tension capacity of a holding down bolt should be taken as:
Pt =0.8 pt A t

where:
 At is the tensile stress area of the bolt
pt is the tension strength of the bolt
4.1 Shear transfer
The connection must also be capable of resisting any shear forces present. Shear resistance can
be provided by:
• Frictional resistance at the interface
• Bearing between the shafts of the holding down bolts and the concrete surrounding
them
• Direct shear resistance, by setting the baseplate in a shallow pocket that is filled with
concrete or by providing a shear key welded to the underside of the base plate.

4.2 Summary of design procedure that can be applied to any type of connection.
1. Select a suitable design model
2. Following the load path, check the capacity of each element of the connection with the forces
and moments acting on it.
Note: The design checks must be consistent with the adopted design model.