Constructions and Materials

Structural Steel Works.

CONNECTIONS IN STEEL STRUCTURES

Introduction:

Connections are structural elements used for

joining different members of a structural steel
frame work.

Steel Structure is an assemblage of

different member such as
“BEAMS,COLUMNS” which are
connected to one other, usually at member ends
fastners,so that it shows a single composite unit.
Connections depend on:

Type of loading.

Strength and stiffness.

Economy and

Difficulty or ease of erection

Connections are the glue that holds a steel structure together.

Historically, most major structural failures have been due to some form of connection
failure.
Steel connections have a direct influence on the cost of the framing system.

While a connection may be efficient in the use of material, it may still be very
expensive to erect.

Repetitive connection design may save costs.

Most connections have the connecting material (plates,angles, …) attached to one

member in the fabrication shop and to the other members in the field.

It is a common practice to weld shop attachments and to bolt field attachments.

If the supporting girder and a supported beam have the same depth,
the supported beam must be double coped.

End-plate connections are always shop welded.

Classification of Connections:

• On the Basis of Connecting Medium.

• According to the type of internal forces.

• According to the type of structural Elements

• According to the type of members joining

Connections
„ Many types based on function
Beam-to-Beam Connections

Beam-to-Column Connections

Column-to-Column Connections

Column Base Plates

Pocket Beam

Gusset plate connections (truss type, frame type, bracings)

Splices (cover plates, …)

  Bolts

 Weld
  Connecting Plates

 Connecting Angles
 On the Basis of Connecting Medium.

 According to the type of internal forces.

 According to the type of structural Elements

 According to the type of members joining

  Riveted Connections

 Bolted Connections
  Welded Connections

 Bolted-Welded
Connections
A weld is two pieces of metal fused
together. to weld something you'll need a
welding machine and depending on the
metal it can be very complicated, there's
pretty much no taking it apart once it's
welded.

Weld and Rivet are permanent joints but

bolt makes temperory joint.
In weld two materials are join at high
temperature created by arc or another
source with or without use of electrode
and pressure.
A rivet is more like a small metal stick
holding two pieces of metal together. It's
pretty complicated to put in you'll need a
rivet gun and the only way to take it out is
to cut or drill it out.

Rivet joint is basically joining of two

plates by inserting Rivet in a drilled hole.
As given in figure.
Bolt joint is a temporary joint in which a
threaded bolt is inserted in hole and it is
tighten by nut in opposite side.
Following are the differences between riveted and welded joint:

1. In riveted joints, rivet is used to join two parts while in welded joints,
parts are joined by welding them.
2. Welded joint results in light weight construction while riveted joint
requires additional cover plates, straps, clip angles and no of rivets
which increase the weight.
3. In welded joint there is no problem of stress concentration while in
riveted joint it is.
4. Strength of welded joint is high.
5. Welded joints are tight and leak proof as compared with riveted
joints.
6. Welded joints have poor resistance to vibration and impact load while
riveted joint is ideally suitable in these situation.
7. Welding causes warping and affects the structure of heat treated
component while parts assembled by riveted joints are free from such
thermal after effects.
8. While dismantling, connected parts are less damaged in riveted joint
as compared to welded joint.
Differences between Welding, Soldering and Brazing:

S. No. Welding Soldering Brazing

1. Welding joints are Soldering joints are Brazing joints are
strongest joints used weakest joints out of weaker than
to bear the load. three. Not meant to welding joints but
Strength of the bear the load. Use to stronger than
welded portion of make electrical soldering joints.
joint is usually more contacts generally. This can be used to
than the strength of bear the load up to
base metal. some extent.

2. Temperature Temperature Temperature may

required is 3800°C requirement is up to go to 600°C in
in welding joints. 450°C in soldering brazing joints
joints.
3. To join work pieces Heating of the work Work pieces are
need to be heated till pieces is not required. heated but below
their melting point. their melting point.
Differences between Welding, Soldering and Brazing…..continued

S. No. Welding Soldering Brazing

4 Mechanical properties of No change in mechanical May change in
base metal may change properties after joining. mechanical properties
at the joint due to of joint but it is almost
heating and cooling. negligible.

5. Heat cost is involved and Cost involved and skill Cost involved and sill
high skill level is requirements are very required are in between
required. low. other two.
6. Heat treatment is No heat treatment is No heat treatment is
generally required to required. required after brazing.
eliminate undesirable
effects of welding.

7. No preheating of Preheating of workpieces Preheating is desirable

workpiece is required before soldering is good to make strong joint as
before welding as it is for making good quality brazing is carried out at
carried out at high joint. relatively low
temperature. temperature.
According to the type of Internal Force:

• Shear (semi rigid, simple) connections

This is a simple connection between the beam
and column of a steel structure ...

• Moment (rigid) connections

Shear (Semi rigid, Simple) Connections:
• Allows the beam end to rotate without a
significant restraint.

• Transfers shear out of beam

• Most Common Types:

 Double clip
 Shear End Plate
 Fin Plate
Moment (rigid) Connections:

• Designed to resist both Moment and Shear.

• Often referred - rigid or fully restrained

connections
 Provide full continuity between the connected
members
 Designed to carry the full factored moments. Bolted splice Moment Connection

• Principal Reason - buildings has to resist the

effect of lateral forces such as wind and earthquake

Field Bolted Moment Connection

Difference between Shear and Moment Connections

Shear Connection - A beam bolted to a

column. It is a shear only connection
because the beam flanges are not rigidly
connected to the column. Note the gap
shown between the bottom flange of the
beam and the column.(fig 1)

Moment (Rigid) Connection - A welded

beam to the column. The beam flange welds
transmit full flange strength to the column.
The shear tab, welded to the column, and
bolted to the beam web, supports the beam
until it is welded and offers permanent shear
resistance..(fig.2)

A shear connection keeps something from
sliding back and forth.

A moment connection keeps something

from turning in a circle.
For instance, think nailing two pieces of wood together. One nail makes a
good shear connection--the wood won't slide back and forth. But with only
one nail, you can still turn the two pieces of wood around in circles relative to
the nail. That's because a single nail does not make a good moment
connection.
But put in two nails, and you have kept it from
turning in circles. The moment connection
needs at least two points to counteract angular
movement or torque.
The further apart those two points are, the
better the reaction to moment.
According to the type of Structural Elements:

• Single plate angle Connections

• Double web angle connections

• Top and seated angle connections

• Seated beam connections

Single Plate Angle Connections:

Two Step Process:

• plate is welded to secondary section (beam)

• An Angle is welded to Primary Section (column or Beam)

• single shear plate welded to secondary beam and bolted to Primary beam or column.
Double Web Angle Connections:

• Two angles welded or shop bolted to the web of a secondary beam.

• After erection the angles are bolted or site welded to the primary member
(beam or column).
Top and Seated Angle Connections:

• Generally used in case of moment connections.

• Two angles are provided at top and bottom of the beam to resist moment.

• Generally used for lesser moments where heavy loads are not acting
Seated Beam Connections:

• Generally used in case of shear connections.

• A seating angle - at bottom of secondary beam - shop welded to the primary member.

• Seating angle resists vertical shear coming from the beam.

According to the Type of members Joining:

• Beam to beam connections

• Column to column connections (column splices)

• Beam to Column Connections

• Column Base Plate Connections

Beam to Beam Connections:

Two Types:

• Primary Beam to Secondary Beam Connection

• Beam Splice
Column to Column Connections (Column Splices)

Connects column to column.

• Column splice comes under this category.

• Used to connect column sections of different sizes.

• Splices - designed for both moment and shear unless

intended to utilize the splices as internal hinges.
Beam to Column Connections:

• Connects Beam to column.

• Very Common
• A wide range of different types are used
 Fin Plates
 End Plates
 Web or Flange Cleats
 Haunched Connections
• Beams are normally attached using two or more
bolts through the web.

End plate connections

single plate welded to the end of the beams
Bolted to the column flange or web - two or bolts
pair.

Fin plate connections

Single Plate welded to the Column.
Beams are normally attached using two or more
bolts through the web.
Column Base Plate Connections:

• Steel plates placed at the bottom of Columns.

 Function - to transmit column loads to the concrete pedestal.

• The design of a column base plate:

 determining the size of the plate.
 determining the thickness of the plate
• A layer of grout should be placed between the base
plate and its support for the purpose of leveling.

• Anchor bolts should be provided to stabilize the

column during erection or to prevent uplift
Roof Trust to Column Joints: