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COMMON CONNECTION DETAILS

Bearing plates that are subject to substantial bending loads,
such as required on boxed columns, require a more careful
review and analysis. One method based on extensive experi-
ence is to assume a load transfer through the plate on a 45°
bevel and then check the thickness obtained for shear and
bearing strengths. The steel detailer is referred to AISC
Specification Section M2.8, which sets forth the finish re-
quirements for bearing plates. Because a butt plate fits be-
tween milled column ends, having both surfaces flat and true
is important.
HSS COLUMNS
The previous discussion on column connections has dealt
with W-shape members. Hollow structural section (HSS)
columns are finding use in numerous structures such as schools
and one- or two-story office buildings. Connections to these
columns are similar to those already discussed except that
generally, the connection material (framing angles, seat angles,
single angles and single plates) is shop welded to the column.
End-plate connections on beams are field welded to HSS
columns.
unbalanced connections of this nature, and AISC Specification
Section J1.7 permits placing these welds as the joint geome-
try dictates. As will be seen later, sometimes the limitations on
weld size are such that the same size weld must be used at
the heel and toe of the angle and the geometry of the joint
may result in more weld being placed along the toe than along
the heel. If clearance permits, the ends of the web members
also can be welded.
The sizes and lengths of welds are determined in accor-
dance with the principles outlined earlier in this chapter. To
compensate for loads induced in trusses during handling, ship-
ping and erection, a common requirement is to design the
connection for a minimum of 50% of the member strength
or a lesser amount as determined by the engineer.
A case in point is the connection of diagonal U3L4 (Figure
3-43a). The connections should be able to support one-half
of the effective strength of the member. In this case, checking
the available tensile yield strength of two 2  2  1/4 angles:
Pn  1/2Fy Ag
φ  0.90 (LRFD)
Ω  1.67 (ASD)

TRUSS CONNECTIONS Fy  36 ksi

Ag  1.89 in.2
When trusses are used in a design, the design drawings must
show the detail of the truss joint, or provide the information φPn  0.90  1/2  36  1.89
necessary for the design and detailing of the truss joints.  30.6 kips (LRFD)
Additional information about these connections is presented
Pn /Ω  (1/2  36  1.89)/1.67
in the Manual on page 13-11.
 20.4 kips (ASD)
Truss Panel Point Connections—Welded Trusses Checking the available tensile rupture strength:
The truss shown in Figure A3-41 of Appendix A is the shop
detail drawing of the truss whose design is shown in Figure Pn  1/2FuAe
A3-42. For convenience, truss joints are labeled U0, U1, L1, φ  0.75 (LRFD)
L 2, etc. Normally, this is not done in detailing a completely
shop assembled truss. Ω  2.00 (ASD)
Figure 3-43a shows an enlarged detail of joint U3 and Fu  58 ksi
represents the typical treatment of intermediate web connec-
tions. Note that the gravity axes of the vertical and diagonal Ae  AnU (since the member is welded, An  Ag)
members intersect on the neutral axis of the tee chord.  1.89 (1 – 0.586/2)  1.34 in.2
In order to lend stiffness to the finished truss, the angles φPn  0.75  1/2  58  1.34
comprising one of the web members at each joint (in this
 29.1 kips (LRFD)
case, U3L3) are extended to the edge of the fillet of the tee
(k-distance). The required welds are applied along the heel Pn/Ω   58  1.34)/2.00
(1/2
and toe of each angle, beginning at their ends rather than at the  19.4 kips (ASD)
edge of the tee stem.
Other things being equal, common practice is to place Note that Ae is the effective net area and U is the reduction
more weld along the heel of the angle than along the toe. The coefficient. U represents the decrease in efficiency of the net
intent is to minimize any eccentricity that may arise due to section because of shear lag, discussed earlier in this chapter.
the location of the welds with respect to the gravity axes of the For values of U and the equation from which they are deter-
connected angles. Tests have shown, however, that little dif- mined, the steel detailer is referred to AISC Specification
ference in static load strength exists between balanced and Section D3.3.

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CHAPTER 3

Figure 3-43. Enlarged detail of joint U3 and the typical treatment of intermediate web connections.

3-46 • Detailing for Steel Construction

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COMMON CONNECTION DETAILS
As detailed, the weld strength is:
φRn  1.392DL (LRFD) and Rn/Ω  0.928DL (ASD)
D 3
L  2  4  8 in.
φRn  1.392  3  8
 33.4 kips (LRFD)
Rn/Ω  0.928  3  8
 22.3 kips (ASD)
The connection is adequate.
The available strength in axial compression of the dou-
ble angles in member U4L4 (Figure A3-41) may be deter-
mined by referring to Table 4-8 in the Manual Part 4, which
lists permissible compression loads for a wide range of paired
angles of various effective lengths for steels with Fy  36
ksi and Fy  50 ksi. Member U4L4, in which the 3  2 
1/ 4 angle legs are turned as shown in Figure 3-44 (short legs
back-to-back or SLBB), has an effective length of about 7
ft. In the Manual Part 4, this length gives available strengths
of 24.7 kips and 63.4 kips (LRFD) and 16.4 kips and 42.2
kips (ASD) about the X-X and Y-Y axes, respectively. As
the strut can support safely no more than the lesser of these
two values, its strength is limited to 24.7 kips (LRFD) and
16.4 kips (ASD), and the welds are proportioned for 24.7/2
 12.4 kips per angle (LRFD) and 16.4/2  8.2 kips per
angle (ASD). As detailed, the welds have a strength of:
φRn  1.392  3  2  2
 16.7 kips per angle (LRFD)
Rn/Ω  0.928  3  2  2
 11.1 kips per angle (ASD)
which is adequate.
The diagonal member at joint U1 (Figure 3-43b) is cut to
provide needed weld length along the angle toe. It may have
been possible to swing this member up and to the right and,
Figure 3-44. Double angles, long legs outstanding.
thereby, obtain the necessary length with a square end. To the
greatest extent possible, the detailer should provide square
ends on angles used as truss web members and as bracing to
eliminate the added shop costs for laying out and cutting
clipped ends. However, moving the diagonal also means mov-
ing its gravity axis away from the joint intersection. This will
introduce eccentricity and consequent moment forces that,
when added, tend to overload the chord. The recommended
practice is to arrange all gravity axes to intersect at a com-
mon point at each joint. The detailer is directed to the Manual
Part 13 for the design procedure for this joint.
Despite the preceding recommendation, placing gravity
axes exactly on work lines may not be practical in some cases.
Members U2L2 and U4L4 (Figure A3-41) have been moved
purposely to provide connections for the bottom lateral
bracing members. In both cases the resulting eccentricities
are relatively small and can be neglected because of the stiff-
ness of the joint. Should such an eccentricity be critical, the
approval of the owner’s designated representative for design
should be obtained.
Connection Design
The ends of the truss members in Figure A3-41 are checked as
follows:
• The maximum size fillet welds along toes of angles 1/4
in. or more in thickness should be 1/16 in. less than the
thickness of the angle (AISC Specification Section
J2.2b).
• The thickness of the tee stem is checked for available
strength to transmit the load from the web members.
Refer to “Strength of Connected Material” earlier in
this chapter for the procedure to determine the strengths
of the tee stems.
• Minimum size of fillet welds must meet the require-
ments of AISC Specification Section J2.2b. The thick-
ness of the top chord tee stem is approximately 1/2 in.
and that of the bottom tee stem is 7/16 in. The minimum
size of fillet weld is 1/8 in. in both cases, which is gov-
erned by the thinner part joined (the 1/4-in. angles).
Amount of Weld Required
The amount of weld required at the ends of truss members
can be determined by one of the following methods:
• Divide the length available for welding into the ten-
sile or compressive force for which the connection is to
be designed. This will give the required weld strength
per linear inch, from which the size of fillet weld can
be determined. The length available for welding can
be scaled from the detail of the truss if the joint de-
tails are drawn accurately and to a scale of at least
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1 in.  1 ft 0 in. Unless a separate layout is made to a
larger scale, at least 1/ 2-in. should be deducted from
the scaled dimension in determining the length available
for welding.
• Assume a size of fillet weld and divide the strength of
this weld into the tensile or compressive force for which
the connection is to be designed. This will give the
length of weld required. The detailer is cautioned that
this method is limited by the thickness of the tee stem
(chord) and the gusset plate. Tension yielding, shear
yielding and shear rupture of the stem and plate must be
checked.
• Determine the total number of linear inches of 1/16-in.
weld required, by dividing the strength per inch of a
1/16-in. weld (1.392 kip/in. or 0.928 kip/in. using E70XX
electrode, LRFD and ASD, respectively) into the force
for which the connection is to be designed. Then, by
trying various combinations of weld size and length,
the size and length of weld can be determined. This
method is advantageous, particularly if different size
welds are to be used at the heel and toe of the angle.
In establishing the lengths of fillet welds, a sufficient length
of material must be available on which to start and stop the
weld in order to obtain the full effective weld size. A com-
monly accepted rule in the industry provides a material length
equal to the required effective length of weld plus twice the
weld leg size. The detailer is referred to the Manual Part 13 for
an example illustrating the design of a joint connection.
Figure A3-45 of Appendix A shows typical shop details of
a truss of light construction. Note that the web members are
single angles. Although this produces some eccentricity nor-
mal to the plane of the truss, this effect is considered by the
engineer in the design of the members. Bars “pa” at the left
end serve to stiffen the bottom flange stem, as well as to
transmit the top chord force.
For lightly loaded trusses, single-angle web members are
used often. In this case, placing all web members on the same
side of the chord minimizes twisting of the chord. Staggering
the web members causes a torque, C  e  T  e on the
chord, as shown in Figure 3-46.
The depth and width of the top chord tee, which may seem
to be out of proportion to the other members, are required to
resist bending induced by the off-panel location of purlins.
The small skewed angles in the plane of the top and bottom
chords are for 7/8-in.-diameter diagonal rod bracing. Sufficient
weld is furnished to resist the maximum available strength
these rods can carry.
In Figure 3-47 note the groove weld joint numbers in the
tails of the arrows. These are AWS D1.1 designations. These
joint details and numbers are shown in the Manual Part 8
under “Welded Joints.” When the AWS joint number is shown
3-48 • Detailing for Steel Construction
CHAPTER 3
in the tail of the arrow, giving the root opening and groove
angle is unnecessary.
Truss Chord Splices—Welded
Usually, splices in tension chords of welded trusses are made
with complete-joint-penetration groove welds. Joint prepara-
tion and welding are performed in accordance with AISC
Specification Section J2.1. Where abutting members of dif-
ferent cross-sections occur in tension splices, a slope must
be provided through the transition zone that does not exceed
1 in 21/2 (4 3/4 in 12, approximately), although flatter slopes
are preferred. This slope is accomplished by clipping exter-
nal corners and sloping the weld faces (see Figure A3-47a).
Where the difference in thickness is too great, the thicker
part must be chamfered in addition to sloping the weld face
(see Figure A3-47b).
Where tee or W-shapes are spliced, complete-joint-
penetration groove welds on the flanges require cutting the
web to permit the use of backing bars, backing welds, far-
side welds or full-length back-gouging of beveled welds
(see Figure A3-47c). Extension bars and backing bar exten-
sions are required to ensure that the full cross-sectional area
of the groove weld is effective for the entire width of the
flange. The selection of the type of preparation for a grooved
joint depends upon the thickness of the material and the fab-
ricator’s preference. Refer to Chapter 4 for discussion of
run off or extension bars and backing, also known as back-
ing bars.
Where heavy rolled shapes with flange thicknesses ex-
ceeding 2 in. or shapes built-up by welding plates more than
2 in. thick together form the cross-section, and where these
shapes or cross-sections are to be spliced by complete-joint-
penetration welds and are subject to primary tensile stresses
due to tension or flexure, the material to be spliced is subject
to special mill order requirements. The material must be sup-
plied with Charpy V-notch testing in accordance with ASTM
Figure 3-46. Torque on the chord caused
by staggered web members.
Detailing_CH03 6/2/09 8:16 AM Page 49
COMMON CONNECTION DETAILS
A6, Supplementary Requirement S30 for shapes and S5 for
plates. The reason for the special testing is that the web cen-
ter of heavy hot-rolled shapes as well as the interior portions
of heavy plates may contain a coarser grain structure and/or
lower toughness material than other areas of these products.
Thus, when these materials are joined by complete-joint-pen-
etration groove welds, which extend through the coarser and/or
the lower notch toughness interior portions, tensile strains in-
duced by weld shrinkage may result in cracking. The fabrica-
tor must observe special precautions when preparing the
material for welding and in the welding process itself.
Figure 3-47. Welded truss-chord splices.
Therefore, generally tensile splices in heavy sections are made
using splice plates. Heavy sections subject to compression
may be spliced using either partial-joint-penetration groove
welds in combination with fillet-welded splice plates, bolted
splice plates, or a combination of bolted/fillet-welded splice
plates. The detailer is encouraged to read AISC Specification
Sections A3.1c, A3.1d and J1.5 and their Commentaries for
further information on the matter of splicing heavy sections.
The AISC Specification Table J2.5 permits available
strengths for complete-joint-penetration groove welds to be
equal to the available strengths for the connected material,
providing the proper grade of electrode is used. Thus, the
strength of the welded splice is the same as that of the con-
nected material of the same cross-sectional area. Tension
splices should be checked for required net section. The ac-
cess hole sometimes is left open and sometimes is filled in
the completed joint, depending upon the owner’s designated
representative for design.
Chord splices are expensive to fabricate and should be
avoided wherever possible. Joint U4, Figure A3-45, shows
a groove weld for which some fabricators might choose to
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substitute a simple bead. If within the capacity of shop equip-
ment, this is a satisfactory solution for most slightly pitched
trusses.
In shop-welded, field-bolted construction, the field splices
in chords require material that may be bolted on both sides
of the joint or shop welded on one side and field bolted on
the other side. The design of these splices requires an engineer-
ing analysis and is beyond the scope of this text.
Top Chord Connection to Column
When the working lines of the top chord and diagonal inter-
sect at the centerline of a column and the connection is lo-
cated away from this intersection, as in Figure 3-48, the
eccentricity results in a moment. Assuming the connection
Figure 3-48. Top chord connection to column.
3-50 • Detailing for Steel Construction
CHAPTER 3
between the members is adequate, joint rotation is resisted
by the combined flexural strength of the column, the truss
top chord and the truss diagonal. However, the distribution
of moment among these members will be proportional to the
stiffness of the members. Thus, when the stiffness of the col-
umn is much greater than the stiffness of the other elements of
the truss support connection, one design practice suggests
that the column and gusset-to-column connection be designed
for the full eccentricity. Another practice suggests designing
the connection for the applicable eccentricities. Because of
its importance, the truss support connection should be shown
on the design drawing.
If the common intersection of the three working lines is
shifted from the column centerline to the face of the column
Detailing_CH03 6/2/09 8:16 AM Page 51
COMMON CONNECTION DETAILS
as in Figure 3-49, no eccentricity exists in the gusset, gusset-
to-column connection, truss chord or diagonal. However, the
column would be subjected to an eccentric loading and would
have to be designed for that condition.
Figure 3-49 is a detail of the same joint as is shown in
Figure 3-48, except for the location of the working point.
In Figure 3-49 the detail has been laid out with a common
working point established on the face of the column, where
the working lines of the top chord and diagonal intersect.
With all three working lines meeting at the same point, no un-
balanced moment is present in the gusset or tee stem. The
truss-to-column connection can be selected directly from
Tables 10-1, 10-2 and 10-3 in the Manual Part 10. Comparing
this detail with the one shown in Figure 3-48, the detailer
may identify savings in welding, fasteners and fitting ma-
terial. However, as previously stated, the supporting column
in Figure 3-49 is subjected to an eccentric loading and must
be investigated by the owner’s designated representative for
design for this condition.
Bottom Chord Connection to Column
When a truss is erected and loaded, its members in tension
will lengthen and its members in compression will shorten. At
the support connection this may cause the tension chord of a
“square-ended” truss to encroach on its connection to the sup-
Figure 3-49. The common intersection of the three working lines is shifted from the column centerline to the face of the column.
porting column. When the connection is shop attached to the
truss, erection clearance must be provided between the connec-
tion and the column face, using shims to fill whatever space
remains after the truss is erected and loaded. However, in
field-erected connections, provision must be made for the
necessary adjustment in the connection.
When the tension chord delivers no calculated force to the
connection, usually adjustment can be provided with slotted
holes in the detail connection material. For short spans with
relatively light loads, the comparatively small deflections can
be absorbed by the normal hole clearances provided for bolted
construction. Slightly greater misalignment can be corrected
in the field by reaming the holes. If appreciable deflection is
expected, the connection may be field welded or bolt holes
may be field drilled. This is an expensive operation, which
should be avoided if at all possible.
When the truss is erected in place and loaded, the vari-
ous truss members will lengthen under tension or shorten
under compression, and all or part of the camber will disap-
pear. This may cause a problem when the tension chord of a
“square-end” truss stretches and tends to encroach on its end
connections. For short spans with relatively light loads, it is
generally sufficient to provide end details in which the field
bolting is through the truss chords or through the gussets in
the plane of the truss. By this means, small deflections can be
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CHAPTER 3

absorbed by the normal hole clearances. Slightly greater mis- SHIMS AND FILLERS
alignment can be corrected in the field by reaming or, if ap-
Shims are furnished to the erector for use in filling the spaces
preciable deflection is expected, by field drilling from the
allowed for field clearance that might be present at connections
solid, although this is an expensive operation that should be
such as simple shear connections, PR and FR moment connec-
avoided if at all possible. For bottom chord end panels in
tions, column base plates, and column splices. These shims
which there is no computed stress, the necessary adjustment
may be either strip shims, with round punched holes (see
can be provided by employing slotted holes in the detail con-
Figure 3-50a), or finger shims, with slots cut through to the
nection material.
edge (see Figure 3-50b).
If shop attachment of abutting connections on the truss
Whereas the strip shim is less expensive to fabricate, the
cannot be avoided, clearance should be allowed between such
finger type has the advantage of lateral insertion without the
connections and the column face, and shims should be pro-
need to remove erection bolts or pins already in place. If fin-
vided to fill out whatever space remains after the truss is
ger shims are inserted fully against the bolt shanks, they are
erected and loaded.
acceptable for slip-critical connections and are not to be
Some idea of the amount of deformation to be expected
considered as an internal ply. However, they must have the
may be determined by utilizing the stress-strain relationship
surface preparation required by design for the slip-critical
of structural steel. The ratio of stress (kips per square inch) to
connections. In such cases, the permissible bolt load may be
strain (deformation in inches per inch) is called the modulus
taken as though the shims were not present. The reason is
of elasticity and is taken as 29,000 ksi.
that less than 25% of the contact area is lost—not enough to
Having given the cross-sectional area of the chord and
affect the performance of the joint.
the design load in each panel, the deformation can be com-
A filler is furnished to occupy a space that will be present
puted as:
because of dimensional separations between elements of a
connection across which load transfer occurs. The steel de-
δ = PL tailer should become familiar with AISC Specification Section
AE
J5, which describes the procedures for developing fillers in
where welded and bolted connections.
δ  deformation, in.
P  axial load, kips
A  gross area of the chord, in.2
L  length of the chord, in.

The value of δ is the increase or decrease in panel length,

depending on whether the load P induces tension or com-
pression. The deformation of each panel on one side of the
truss centerline is figured separately, then summed up to de-
termine the total movement at the extreme ends of the truss. Figure 3-50. Shims and fillers.

3-52 • Detailing for Steel Construction