Thanks r6155 & TGS4, I will take a look at that PIP. Several books that say different things in passing; i.e. Moss vs Brownell & Young who say "the top and bottom plates should have continuous welds as the maximum compressive and tensile stress occurs in these two plates". I am thinking Moss really means when it is low enough load that a Wolosewick approach with just 2 vertical gussets at each lug can get the job done (I have a large diameter incinerator full of refractory ...). COMPRESS uses the Bednar procedure and just assumes all the welds are the same, so I think I will look at it using a RISA 3D plate model and taper the bottom plate at the shell to a thickness where a full penetration weld is enough to take the tension. And, we're looking at putting some ceramic thermal standoffs between the lugs and structural steel. Appreciate any further comments!