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Shear Connection - Short Slotted Holes in the Connector or the Beam?

Norby_acn

Structural
Jun 26, 2019
14
I was recently asked by an engineer that I work with if our typical shear connection details allow for the short-slotted horizontal holes to be placed in the shear plate (or angle or WT), or if they could also be put in the beam web. My response was that I've always see it done in the supporting connector, not in the beam web. The other engineer asked "Why not put it in the beam web?" And I don't know that I have a really good answer.

My first thought was that if you mess up the connection during fabrication, you only have to throw away the connector piece and not an entire beam, but beyond that, I am not sure. Slots on either the beam or the connect allow for erection tolerances, allows for thermal expansion, etc. Every fabricator I have ever worked with has detailed the slots into the connector. But why not the beam web? What is the reason I am not thinking of?
 

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