PROJECT: STEEL BUILDING DESIGN CASE STUDY

SHEET

OF

SUBJECT: Tension member design. Welded connection.

Note 1.

Why is fracture ( & not yielding) the relevant limit state at the net section?
Yielding will occur first in the net section. However, the deformations induced by yielding will
be localized around the net section. These localized deformations will not cause excessive
deformations in the complete tension member. Hence, yielding at the net section will not be a
failure limit state.

Note 2.

Why is the resistance factor (ft) smaller for fracture than for yielding?
The smaller resistance factor for fracture (t = 0.75 as compared to t = 0.9 for yielding)
reflects the more serious nature and consequences of reaching the fracture limit state.

PROJECT: STEEL BUILDING DESIGN CASE STUDY

SHEET

OF

SUBJECT: Tension member design. Welded connection.

Connection for a 38.3 foot long tension member that has to resist 78 kips of already factored load.

LOAD RESISTANCE FACTOR DESIGN

fv = resistance factor for shear
ft = resistance factor for tension
Ag = gross cross-sectional area
An = net area
Ae = effective net area
U = shear lag factor
Fy = specified (ASTM) minimum yield stress
Fu = specified (ASTM) minimum tensile strength
t = thickness of connected element/connecting element
Pu = factored load to be resisted
Fnv = nominal shear stress
Fnt = nominal tensile stress
L = length of connected element
Rn = strength
B = width of connected leg
B1= width of Unconnected leg
Le = Effective length in shear
Le1 = Effective length in tension
l = length of connection
rmin = Minimum radius of gyration
Agv = gross area acted upon by shear
Agt = gross area acted upon by tension
Anv = net area acted upon by shear
Ant = net area acted upon by tension
n = number of angle
w = minimum size of filled welds (from LRFD table J2.4)
Fw = weld ultimate shearing stress
E70XX = electrode with an ultimate tensile strength of 70 ksi

Red font indicates user input

Tension member

Gusset plate

PROJECT: STEEL BUILDING DESIGN CASE STUDY

SHEET

OF

SUBJECT: Tension member design. Welded connection.

Force
Pu

78

kips

Member properties
Connected element (tension member)

Connecting element(Gusset plate)

A36

Grade

A36

Grade

Fy

36

ksi

Fy

36

ksi

Fu

58

ksi

Fu

58

ksi

38.3

ft

Weld properties
w

3/16

in

FEXX

70

ksi

0.75

Fw

= 0.60 FEXX

Table J2.4

42

kips

Table J2.5

4.18

kips/in

Sec. J 2-3

18.7

in

20

in

Calculation for Length of weld required

Weld strength,
Rn

= 0.707 w Fw

Length of Weld required

Pu/Rn

Length of Weld Provided

Calculation for selection of member

Tension member can fail by reaching one of two limit states:
(1) Excessive deformation: or (2) Fracture
Excessive deformation can occur due to the yielding of the gross section along
the length of the member. Fracture of the net section can occur if the stress at
the section reaches the ultimate stress Fu.
Based on limit state of gross section yielding

Sec. D2.a
t

Ag req. Pu / (t Fy) =

78 / (0.9 x 36)

0.9

2.407

in2

Based on limit state of net section fracture

Sec. D2.b
t

Ae req. Pu / (t Fu) =

78 / (0.75 x 58)
U

An req. (Ae req. / U) =

1.793 / 0.8

0.75

1.793

0.800

2.241

in2
Table D3.1
2

in

Eq. D3-1

PROJECT: STEEL BUILDING DESIGN CASE STUDY

SHEET

OF

SUBJECT: Tension member design. Welded connection.

Minimum radius of gyration, rmin = L / 300

Sec. D1

= ( 38.3 x 12 ) / 300
Try

70

1.532

in

>

2.407

in2

Yes Table 1-7 of AISC

>

1.532

in

Yes manual

Physical properties of the section

B

3.5

in

B1

in

Ag

5.08

in2
2

An

5.08

in

rmin

1.58

in

5/16

in

= distance from the centroid of the connected area to the plane

Table 1-7 of AISC

of the connection
x

= (Length of weld - B) / 2 n

= 1-(x/l) =

Ae

1.59

= (An U) =

manual

in

1 - ( 1.59/4.12)

5.08 x 0.8 =

4.12

0.61

<

0.80

use U
2
4.06 in

0.80

>

1.79

in
Table D3.1 case2
in2

Yes Eq. D3-1

Selected section is safe against gross section yielding & net section
fracture

Sec. J4.3

Check for Block Shear

The tension member can fail due to 'tear out' of material at the
connected end. This is called block shear.
Le1

0.3
Le

Shear areas
Agv = Le t x 2
Anv = Le t x 2
Tension areas
Agt = Le1 t
Ant = Le1 t

= 4.12 x 5/16
= 4.12 x 5/16

= 3.5 x 5/16
= 3.5 x 5/16

=
=

2
1.28 in
2
1.28 in

=
=

2
1.09 in
2
1.09 in

Block shear stength is determined as the sum of the shear strength on a

failure path and the tensile strength on a perpendicular segment.

PROJECT: STEEL BUILDING DESIGN CASE STUDY

SHEET

OF

SUBJECT: Tension member design. Welded connection.

Block shear strength = net section fracture strength on shear path
+ net secion fracture strength of the tension path
OR
Block shear strength = gross yielding strength on the shear path
+ net secion fracture strength of the tension path

Reduction coefficient,

=
Ubs =

0.75
1
44.44

0.6FuAnv

= 0.6 x 58 x 1.2772

0.6FyAgv

= 0.6 x 36 x 1.2772

UbsFuAnt

= 1 x 58 x 1.085

Sec. J4.3
Sec. J4.3
kips

27.58752 kips
62.93

kips

Block shear strength, Rn

Rn = (0.6FuAnv+UbsFuAnt)
Rn

(0.6FyAgv+UbsFuAnt)

= 0.75 (44.44 + 62.93)

80.53 kips

Block shear rupture strength, Rn

0.75 (27.58752 + 62.93)

67.89 kips
=

67.89

kips

> Pu/2 =

Selected section is safe against block shear rupture

2 nos 5 x 3.5 x 5/16

3/16

in weld of length 20 in

39

kips