Connection Design
Connection Design
(OP)
2010 AISC Code of Standard Practice contains the following section on how to handle connection design on steel projects.
" 3.1.2. The owner’s designated representative for design shall indicate one of the
following options for each connection:
(1) The complete connection design shall be shown in the structural design
drawings;
(2) In the structural design drawings or specifications, the connection shall be
designated to be selected or completed by an experienced steel detailer; or,
(3) In the structural design drawings or specifications, the connection shall be
designated to be designed by a licensed professional engineer working for
the fabricator."
The document also goes on to say, when option 2 from above three is used, the experienced detailer could use tables in AISC steel construction manual to select connections. How can that not be considered steel detailer performing engineering? No offense to the detailers (there are a lot of smart ones out there), but the language in AISC document is misleading. How can a detailer be forced to make engineering decisions by following this approach. Selecting connections from AISC manual does require some engineering background and knowledge of various failure mechanisms. It's not as simple as, you know the load and you can pick a connection from the table. Your opinions??
" 3.1.2. The owner’s designated representative for design shall indicate one of the
following options for each connection:
(1) The complete connection design shall be shown in the structural design
drawings;
(2) In the structural design drawings or specifications, the connection shall be
designated to be selected or completed by an experienced steel detailer; or,
(3) In the structural design drawings or specifications, the connection shall be
designated to be designed by a licensed professional engineer working for
the fabricator."
The document also goes on to say, when option 2 from above three is used, the experienced detailer could use tables in AISC steel construction manual to select connections. How can that not be considered steel detailer performing engineering? No offense to the detailers (there are a lot of smart ones out there), but the language in AISC document is misleading. How can a detailer be forced to make engineering decisions by following this approach. Selecting connections from AISC manual does require some engineering background and knowledge of various failure mechanisms. It's not as simple as, you know the load and you can pick a connection from the table. Your opinions??






RE: Connection Design
In simple applications, shear connections with loading provided by the EOR, the detailer can select AISC simple connections. Tables for shear capacities of single plates, clip angles, etc.
Other limit states and "design responsibility" will remain with the EOR.
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