UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

STEEL DESIGN SIN 323

SEMESTER TEST 1 – QUESTION 3

Date: April 2021

Time: 45 minutes
Marks: 20

Question 3:

The figure below shows a pitched truss. Consider member EJ in the truss which has a bolted
connection at point E and a welded connection at point J.

An analysis shows that the force in member EJ for two different load cases is:

Dead + Live (D+L) : 55kN (compression)

Dead + Wind (D+W) : 26kN (tension)

a) Consider both the D+L and D+W load cases and check the adequacy of the L section
for member EJ, as well as the adequacy of both connections.
b) What is governing mode of failure for member EJ?

Assume Grade 350W steel: fy = 350 MPa fu = 480 MPa

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 Option 1

Option 2

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Assumed bolt holes are drilled (you could also assume they were punched)

70x70x10 L 60x60x8 L

L 1.95m 1.95m

Cr 99kN 52.3kN 4

Tr yielding 412.6kN 284.4kN 2

Tr fracture 5

Shear lag – weld 391kN 286.6kN

Shear lag – bolts 248.9kN 167.2kN

Tension shear
301.3kN and 301.5kN 223.8kN and 223.9kN 3
block failure

Weld resistance 201kN 201kN 2

Bolt resistance 56.8kN 56.8kN 2

Mode of failure Bolts Compression 2

Total 20

Common mistakes:

 Length of member EJ
 Checking the tension resistance due to shear lag at the welded connection is not
checking the capacity of the weld.

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