Clearances for Welded Connections

[oengineer]

Is there any information on providing clearances for welded connections. I know there is a wrench clearance for bolted connections, but I was wondering if there is something like that for welded connections. I am placing an HSS round tube inside the web of a wide flange beam. My tube is an HSS 10.00x0.375 coming into a W14x34 column web. The "T" dimension is 11 5/8". This leaves a clearance of 1.625".

Any suggestions/comments are appreciated.

 

[WARose]

In the 13th edition (of AISC), see p. 8-16.

 

[skeletron]

I've always drawn it out with a line at 45degrees (ideally) or 30degrees (minimum). If one of those lines nicks your flange, you'll probably have trouble getting in there. Usually it ends up being in the 2-3" range before they can access it no problem. Basically the working-fist dimension.

 

[JStephen]

You might could reach it from the sides- that would depend on the equipment used and the angle it could be positioned in. Maybe hard to clean and inspect, too. Try checking with your local welder or fabricator. Also, if it's just one item, you can always suffer through it, if it's a 100 of them, consider a better detail.

 

[DrZoidberWoop]

From a fabrication/connection design engineer's perspective, there isn't a particular weld clearance rule. Welding can be as much an art as a science when it comes to what a particular craft worker can do. A somewhat silly, but practical, method I commonly use to sanity check my weld clearances is to stack my rulers, books, and other items into approximately the shape of my problem and then see if I can reach my weld joint with a pencil I'm holding like a weld rod.

For your problem specifically, you'll be fine. The welder will be able to reach the joint and apply a weld of sufficient size to fully develop the hss wall (without encroaching the K1 distance, which would be ok as well).

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

If the welder is in a bind they can bend the stick and weld it.

Ian Riley, PE, SE
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, VT, CT, MA, FL) Structural Engineer (IL, HI)

 

[BUGGAR]

Engingears are not supposed to know this, but yes, welders can bend rod, use a mirror, and weld in blind spots around the backside of columns.

 

[WARose]

Engingears are not supposed to know this, but yes, welders can bend rod, use a mirror, and weld in blind spots around the backside of columns.

They are amazing sometimes. This crew I use to call for stuff at home use to send this guy out called "snake". And snake could get anywhere.

 

[CANPRO]

Yes welders can get in tight spots when required, but for new construction, I wouldn't put them in a difficult spot when there are other options. With the arrangement described above, you'll have about 1 5/8" from the inside of the column flange to the face of the HSS, and there will be about 3 1/4" from the tip of the column flange to the face of the web. This creates an access angle of about 25 degrees to the weld.

Not impossible if you have to do it, but if you have other options, use them. I'm a firm believer that as an engineer it is my job to set up the rest of the team for success - if my details start off with the welder having to pull some tricks to get the job done, then I don't consider it a very good detail.