End Plate Conn to Col Web
End Plate Conn to Col Web
(OP)
I'm working for a fabricator to design moment connections for a rigid frame building. They want me to design typical end plates attaching to the web (weak axis direction) of a wide flange column. I've told them that this is not an acceptable moment connection per AISC and the engineer of record will reject it. They don't understand and would like some documentation that says this. I've provided the accepted flange plate connection details but they want more saying the end reactions provided are on the beam not the column and have instructed me to size the end plates.
Is there a document out there that states that end plates are not permitted on a web of a column. This is strictly for wind, non-seismic region.
Any input is appreciated.
Is there a document out there that states that end plates are not permitted on a web of a column. This is strictly for wind, non-seismic region.
Any input is appreciated.





RE: End Plate Conn to Col Web
AISC's design manual, 13th Edition, shows fully welded moment connections onto the weak axis of the column (see attachment). But I don't recall seeing anything with end plate connections like you state.
RE: End Plate Conn to Col Web
It also is important to discern if you are substituing work of some other that should already have made his work.
In any case, literature provides details for "rigid" connections on the weak Y-Y axis. I think in most the beam flane are made to pass their stresses to the column flanges, with some common detail for shear and one of the details in the figure of JAE seems be such typical case.
So there may be several different cases. If the beams are only to be supported in shear in the colum web, or very mainly so, maybe one of the details for end plates, big or small, can be used. If, contrarily, you are thinking or know that full accountability of the moment strength in Y-Y column bending is to be gained, you then can try to prove that some of the assumptions on such design is violated by the significant flexibility of the colum web, except counteracted, and could even demonstrate that with some calculation of whatever the kind.