Author: Kevin Cowie, Alistair Fussell Affiliation: Steel Construction New Zealand Inc. Date: 18th December 2013 Ref: CON1201
Key Words Web Plate, WP, Connections, Rotation,
Introduction The Steel Construction New Zealand publication Steel Connect (SCNZ 14.1 and SCNZ 14.2) provides structural engineers with a rapid and cost-effective way to specify the majority of structural steelwork connections, in accordance with accepted fabrication industry norms. Specification of these connections also facilitates the development of reliable cost estimates by designers, fabricators, consulting quantity surveyors and constructors.
Steel Connect contains bolted web side plate (WP) connections. An example of a web plate connection is shown in figure 1. A number of limit states are checked. The connections are specifically designed to accommodate rotational demands on the connection. Designers of non-standard WP connections must ensure rotational demands are checked. This is especially an important check to be carried out for long span beams with precamber. There has been an instance of a construction project involving long span precambered beams where a number of bolts were sheared off a non-standard WP connection. Carrying out the rotational checks in Steel Connect for this project would have alerted the designer to the potential of bolts shearing off. This article summarizes the rotational checks from Steel Connect.
Figure 1: Web Plate Connection (Hyland et al, 2008)
Rotation Capacity Checks
For beams connected to columns with web side plates the following is used in Steel Connect to ensure that the connection can meet the rotational demand. These are: 1) The plate or web thickness shall not exceed half the bolt diameter 2) The bolt group design flexural capacity must exceed the minimum design flexural strength limit of the plate or section web. 3) There is adequate end gap between the support and the beam to accommodate 0.030 radians of relative rotations.
An example is used to illustrate these three checks.
Disclaimer: SCNZ and the author(s) of this document make no warrantee, guarantee or representation in connection with this document and shall not be held liable or responsible for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this document
Material Properties Plate Grade 250 to AS/NZS 3678:2011 fy 260MPa fui 410MPa
Check Plate or Web Thickness to Bolt Diameter
M20 bolts are used in the connection. The plate and section web thickness is 10mm. df ti 2 where: ti cleat plate thickness 10mm df fastener diameter 20mm 20 10 10 OK! 2
sp np 1 110 6 1 Ze bolt group flexure factor 2.33 6e 6 55 Vf Bolt designshear capacity 92.6kN , M20 bolts threads included in shear plane e reaction eccentricity s g1 55mm
tidi2 Vgfi f 4e yi 10 7302 Vgfi 0.9 260 5668kN 4 55
Cleat net flexure ultimate
npdh tidi2 Vnfi 1 0.85fui di 4e 6 22 10 7302 Vnfi 0.9 1 0.85 410 6223kN 730 4 55
Design flexural strength of plate
M*drift e Vtti ; Vgfi ; Vnfi min
M*drift 55 1993;5668;6223 min
110kNm
Design Flexural Strength of Section Web
The welded beam is Grade 300. The web is 10mm. By inspection the design flexural strength of the section web is greater than the design flexural strength of the plate.
Compare Flexural Strength of Bolt Group with the Minimum Design Flexural Strength Limit of the Plate or Section Web Mb 71 kNm M*drift 110 kN M*drift Mb Not OK!
In summary this connection will not meet the rotational demand. The bolt pitch of 110mm is larger than that used in Steel Connect. Reducing the bolt pitch and increasing the number of bolts will ensure that the rotational demand can be achieved. Alternatively larger size bolts may also achieve the required rotational ductility.
There are other limit states that require checking. Only the checks for rotation capacity are shown.
Conclusion It is important that the rotational capacity of non standard web plate connections for long span beams with precamber be checked. The approach given in SCNZ Steel Connect is illustrated by the way of a design example. For the complete design of web plate connections other limits must also be checked.
References
Hyland C., Cowie K., Clifton C., Structural Steelwork Connections Guide: Design Procedures, SCNZ 14.1 2007, Steel Construction New Zealand (Inc), Manukau City, 2008
Hyland C., Cowie K., Bird G., Structural Steelwork Connections Guide: Connection Tables, SCNZ 14.2 2007, Steel Construction New Zealand (Inc), Manukau City, 2008
SNZ, Steel Structures Standard (Incorporating Amendments 1 and 2), NZS 3404:1997, Standards New Zealand, Wellington, 2007
