Topic: Steel Connection

The steel connection in building construction is mainly divided into two types:
(a) Welding
(b) Bolting

In this lecture, both types of steel connection will be discussed through the calculation
and real-life example.
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PART I: Welding
Welding is the process of joining metal parts by fusing them and filling in with molten
metal from the electrode. However, due to the high temperature of the welding
process, it should be carried out under close supervision. (Figure 1.1)

Figure 1.1:- Welding

And welding is divided into two main types

(1) Butt weld
Butt weld is named after edge preparation. It also means a weld made in a
groove (gap) between two members to be jointed (Figure 1.2)

Figure 1.2:- Butt Weld

(2) Fillet weld

Fillet weld is normally done without edge preparation. It also means a weld
or nearly triangular cross section joining two surfaces approximately at right
angles to each other in a lap joint. (Figure 1.3)
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 Figure 1.3:- Fillet weld

(3) Weld Terminology

Base metal – the metal to be welded or cut
Bevel angle – angle formed between the prepared edge of a member and a
plane perpendicular to the surface of the member
Root – where the members approach
Weld leg – distance from root to the toe of the fillet weld
Actual throat – minimum distance from the root of a weld to its face
Effective throat – minimum distance from the roof of a weld to its face
minus any reinforcement.
Root preparation – the depth that a weld extends into the roof of a joint
Joint preparation – minimum depth a groove weld extends from its face
into a joint, exclusive of reinforcement

For example,

Figure 1.4:- Butt Weld

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 Figure 1.5:-Fillet Weld

General Consideration in Design in Welding

(a) Butt weld design

Clause 6.6.6. of BS 5950: Part I
This clause states the design strength should be taken as equal to that of the parent
metal provided that the weld metal is not less than that of the parent metal

And full penetration depth is required.

(b) Fillet weld design

Clause 6.6.2 of BS5950: Part I
- Fillet welds should be returned around corners for twice the leg length (Figure
1.6(a))

(a) (b)
Figure 1.6:- Fillet weld design

- In lap joints the lap length should not be less than four times the thickness of
the thinner plate. (Figure 1.6(b)).
- The spacing between intermittent welds should not exceed 30mm nor 16t for
parts in compression nor 24t for parts in tension (when t is thickness of the
plate) (Figure 1.7)
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 Figure 1.7:- Fillet weld design

Common defects found in welding

(a) Over-reinforcement or undercutting
(b) Incomplete penetration
(c) Porosity and slag inclusion
(d) Residual stresses after suddenly cooling
(e) Distortion and twisting
(f) Surface cracking, for example, lack of surface preparation

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 Part II: Bolting (or Rivet)
It is achieved by inserting high strength bolts into connecting holes between plates
and then tightened to a percentage of the allowable bolt tensile strength.

On the other hand, in a riveted joint, a heated rivet is forced into a hole connecting
two “plates”. As the rivet cool, a tension will be developed in the rivet and the plates
are forced together.

Figure 2.1:-Lap joint for bolt and rivet / Butt joint for bolt and rivet

Bolted Connections
Bolted connections are increasingly used instead of rivets and more often than welds
It is mainly because
(1) rivets may be too labor intensive, for example, it require heating up at the bolt;
(2) welds may cause secondary cracks if not properly performed.

Types of the bolts

(1) Ordinary Bolts
“Black” hexagonal head bolt with nut and washer are commonly used. The clamping
force resulted from the tightened of bolt-nut system is only sufficient to prevent
movement in the axial direction of the bolt. Slipping to bearing occurs.

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 Figure 2.2 Ordinary Bolts
It is specified in BS4190
- Two grades
- Grade 4.6 mild steel – yield strength 235MPa
- Grade 8.8 high yield steel 0 yield strength 627MPa
- Common diameter: 16, 20, 22, 24, 27 and 30mm

(2) Friction Grip Bolts

- high yield steel is preformed so that a high tension can be provided
- high strength friction grip bolt is specified in BS4395 with three grades:
general grade (similar to grade 8.8 ordinary bolts), higher grade (parallel
shank) and higher grade (waisted shank)
- the bolt must be used with hardened steel washers to prevent damage to
the connected parts
- Care must be taken to ensure that bolts are tightened up to the required
tension and no slip will be resulted.

Applications of the bolting

(1) Internal truss joint
(2) Brackets
(3) Joint in built-up members
(4) Beam to beam connections
(5) Beam to column connections
(6) Column to foundation connections

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For example:

Design in Bolt connection

(1) Direct shear joint

- Refer to Section 6.2 of BS5950, part I
- Spacing, edge and end distance is
strictly defined
(a) Minimum spacing = 2.5d
(b) Minimum edge and end distance is 1.25D
(c) Maximum edge distance is 11 × tε
where d = bolt diameter
D = hole diameter

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 t = thickness of thinner plate connected

ε = (275 / p y ) 0.5

Py = steel design strength in MPa

(d) shear capacity of the bolt = Ps = p s × As …..Eq(1)

ps = shear strength of the bolts
As = shear stress area

(2) Direct tension Joints

When bolts are in direct tension only, the

tension capacity of an ordinary bolts is:
Pt = p t × At ……Eq(2)
pt = tensile strength of the
bolts
At = tensile stress area

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(3) Eccentric Connections: Bolts in direct shear and Tension

— Moment is applied to the plane of connection

— The bolt group rotates about its centre of bolt group

Considering the Torsion force

Let FT be the force due to Torsion on
bolt B
M = FT x r1 +FT(r2/r1)r2+…
= (FT/r1) (r12+r22+….)
then

M = (FT / r1 ) × ∑ r 2

(
P × e = ( FT / r1 ) ∑ x 2 + ∑ y 2 )
P × e × r1
∴ FT = …..Eq(3)
∑ x2 + ∑ y2

On the other hand, force due to shear on each bolt = FS = P / (nos. of bolts)……Eq(4)

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 Then try to find out the maximum force on the bolt
Consider Bolt B,
Vertical force on bolt B =
Fs + FT cos φ …..Eq(5)
Horizontal force on bolt B =
FT sin φ ……Eq(6)
Resultant force on bolt B,

[
FR = (FS + FT cos φ ) + (FT sin φ )
2 2
] 1
2
…..Eq(7)

where Fs = shear force, FT = Torsion force

The bolt size can then be determined from the maximum force on the bolt.

(4) Eccentric Connections: Bolts in direct shear and tension

- Occurs in bracket types
connection
- Applied shear force Fs
must not exceed the shear
capacity Ps.
- Applied tension force FT
must not exceed the
tension capacity Pt.
- Additional requirement:
FS / PS + FT / PT ≤ 1.4

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Moment 2 sides
M = 2( Ft y1 + Ft y 22 / y1 + K)
= 2( Ft / y1 )( y12 + y 22 + K)
n
P ⋅ e = 2(Ft / y1 )∑ y i2
i =1

where n is number of bolts

Maximum bolt tension (Force due to

tension),
P ⋅ e ⋅ y1
Ft = n …..Eq(8)
2∑ y i2
i =1

Shear Force on each bolt,

Fs = P / no of bolts…..Eq(9)

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Example 1
In Figure Q.1, Calculate the Maximum bolt tension and the shear force on each bolt.

Figure Q.1

Solution:
y1 = 400mm
n=4

∑y
i =1
i = (100 2 + 200 2 + 300 2 + 400 2 ) = 300,000

Maximum bolt tension (Force due to tension)

By Eq(8),
P ⋅ e ⋅ y1
Ft = = 150 × 450 × 400 = 45kN
n
2 × 300,000
2∑ y 2
i
i =1

150
By Eq(9), the shear force on each bolt = = 15kN
10

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Example 2
In Figure Q.2, Calculate the tension force on the bolt A and shear force on each bolt.

Figure Q.2

Solution:

From Eq.(3), r1 = 75 2 + 150 2 = 167.71

∑r 2
= ∑ x 2 + ∑ y 2 = 4(75 2 + 150 2 ) + 4(50 2 + 75 2 ) = 8(75 2 ) + 4(50 2 + 150 2 ) = 145,000

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The tension force on bolt A is
P × e × r1 150 × 300 × 167.71
From Eq.(3), FT = = = 52.05kN
∑x +∑y
2 2 145,000

The shear force on each bolts

From Eq.(4), FS = P / (nos. of bolts) = 150 / 8 =18.75kN

-END OF THE LECTURE 7-

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