MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed.

Example 16-3-1

EXAMPLE 16-3

Design of a Statically Loaded Weldment Assembly

Problem: The weldment assembly in Figure 16-17 has fillet welds all around between the pipe and each end
plate. Determine the weld size needed to withstand a static load P = 2700 lb.

Given: The material is ASTM A36 structural steel and an E70xx welding electrode is used. The Schedule 40
pipe is 4.5-in OD by 0.24-in wall. Dimension a = 15 in and r = 10 in.
Pipe dimensions: OD  4.5 in wall  0.24 in
Electrode strength Exx  70 ksi
Applied load P  2700 lbf
A36 yield strength S y  36 ksi
Weldment dims a  15 in r  10 in

Assumptions: The weld takes the load directly. Stress in the weld will limit the design since the fusion areas for
fillet welds are larger than their throat areas. Ignore weight of arm and pipe.
Solution: See Figure 16-17 and Mathcad file EX1603.
1. The offset load puts the pipe section and weld in combined bending, torsion, and direct shear at the root of the
cantilever beam where the moment and torque are both maximum. The torsion and direct shear are assumed
to be uniformly distributed along the weld. The location of highest stress will be on the top of the pipe at the
weld toe (labeled A) where the bending stress is maximum tensile. We first need to calculate the unit loads on
the weld due to each mode of loading and then find their vector sum.

2. This is Case 9 in Figure 16-16, which shows the direct shear component factor Aw = πd. Use this to find the
unit load fs at point A due to direct shear.
d  OD d  4.5 in Aw  π d Aw  14.137 in
P lbf
fs  fs  191.0  (a)
Aw in

3. Find the unit load fb at point A due to the bending moment using Sw from Case 9.

Bending moment M  P a M  40500  lbf  in

2
π d 2
Sw from Case 9 S w  S w  15.904 in
4
M lbf
Unit bending load fb  fb  2546 (b)
Sw in

4. Find the unit load ft at point A due to the torsional moment using Jw from Case 9.

Torque T  P r T  27000  lbf  in

3
π d 3
Jw from Case 9 Jw  Jw  71.569 in
4
Td lbf
Unit torsion load ft  ft  849  (c)
2  Jw in

5. Find the magnitude of the resultant force at point A (the maximum weld load).

2 2 2 lbf
FR  fs  fb  ft FR  2691 (d)
in

EX1603.xmcd
MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Example 16-3-2

6. This is the load per inch of weld. The throat area of one linear inch of weld is equal to the throat dimension. So,
if we set the throat stress equal to the allowable value from equation 16.1, use this unit load and calculate the
area needed to achieve that allowable stress, we will define the required throat dimension. From equation 16.1,
an E70 electrode has an allowable stress of τallow  0.30 Exx .

FR
Minimum throat dim t  t  0.128 in (d)
τallow

7. This is the throat dimension, but fillet welds are specified by their leg dimension. Assuming an equal-leg fillet
in a 90joint, the leg dimension will be:

t
Leg dimension w  w  0.181 in
cos( 45 deg)

8. Specify a 3/16” fillet weld. This meets the minimum weld size specified in Table 16-2 and will have a safety
factor of approximately 2.5 based on equation 16.1.

9. The weld between the pipe and arm is stressed at a lower level than the weld at A because the bending
moment is zero at the end of the cantilever. It sees only direct shear and torsional shear which are 32% of the
stress at A. Use a 3/16” weld here also for consistency of fabrication. It is also the minimum for this wall
thickness.

EX1603.xmcd