Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
(OP)
I am contracted to design a connection for a W14x283 beam to an HSS10x10x3/8 with a reaction of 135 kips factored load (AISC 360-10). There is not enough depth in the W14 to make an adequate connection for this amount of load so I had planned to add on to the bottom of the member with a T-section to allow for additional bolts and to lengthen the weld of the shear tab to the column. If I don't strip the flanges on the beam, I will end up with two shear tabs (one for the beam web and one on the tee). Would I be correct in assuming the center of the connection will be somewhere between the shear tabs? Is it worth the effort to look into this type of connection or would it be better to strip the flanges to use a continuous shear tab? I appreciate your input.






RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
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RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
Any chance your loads here are specified as a percentage of shear capacity or uniformly loaded flexural capacity? If so, you might be able to whine your way into more manageable loads.
For your original proposal, I'd probably strip the flanges just to satisfy my gut intuition. That said, stripping the flanges costs money and I could see why you'd want to avoid it. Conceptually, I don't see a problem with two separate tabs each designed for their seperate load carrying contribution.
On 10" column you might also be able to:
- Use a double angle connection such that you've got your bolts in double shear.
- Weld a reinforcing plate to the web of the beam to improve bolt capacity there.
A drawback of this is that some field welding would be required on at least one of the double angles.
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
- connections on all sides of the column so I would not be able to add anything to the side faces to stiffen them
- 135 kips load was all I could get them to come down from the original 150 kips.
- when using double angles, the limiting factor was the weld to the column and the only way to increase that is to increase the length of the weld since the thickness of the column limits the weld size.
I will see about the stiffened seat so I can avoid stripping the flanges (tf = 2.07 inches - Yikes!)
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
What kind of connections do you have on the other sides? If it's shear tabs again, you could install the side plates and just attach the shear tabs to the sides of those.
- Flare bevel weld a 3/4" plate to the face of the column. Make the plate and the weld as long as they need to be, longer than the depth of the beam.
- Attach the double angle connection to the 3/4" plate using whatever weld size is required to get the job done.
I'm trying to help, not be argumentative. Do let me know if it feels like the latter rather than the former.
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
RE: Connection of Built-up Steel Beam to HSS Col
the original concept of using a shear tab on the face of a HSS to support a 135kip load is a questionable concept in my opinion....