Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
(OP)
For a steel beam connection to masonry wall, it seems that the standard practice is to have an embed plate in a beam pocket in the masonry wall and the pocket grouted solid. At the roof level, what is the purpose of grouting the beam pocket solid? Are there any structural implications or is it mainly architectural?

RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
BA
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
Wouldn't the steel deck be laterally supporting the top of the beam?
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
It's not just the top flange being restrained laterally, it's the entire section being restrained torsionally.
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
Perhaps the correct interpretation is that if the top flange is completely unrestrained against rotation, a pair of stiffeners is required; in which case the attachment to the wall must be capable of providing rotational restraint.
BA
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
Take a look at Appendix 6, stability bracing for beams and columns. Beam Bracing, 2. Torsional Bracing. As long as you can justify a load path with that strength and stiffness, you'd be fine.
But why bother? If anything goes wrong at the beam end and it's not grouted solid, have you upheld the standard of care? Since it would be really easy to get any number of engineers to say they would have done it, it's likely that it would be determined that you did not. It's also easy and not putting it on the drawings is likely to draw an RFI from a good contractor (who expects to see it there).
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
Yes, I believe so, but adding grout in the beam pocket is not a significant cost, so I believe it is prudent to specify it on the contract documents for the reasons given by phamENG.
BA
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
phamEng, I actually have the beam pocket grouted solid in the drawings and got an RFI from the contractor to anchor a plate to the wall instead of grouting the beam pocket solid. They're claiming it will help with schedule and subtrade availability and that it is expensive and they are out of budget. I declined the proposal as it was tendered with the pocket grouted so I responded to keep the pocket grouted solid as per drawings and that it is for torsional stability/rolling resistance of the beam. They're claiming that grouting is mainly for aesthetics. I was a little bit in awe so I posted the thread. I'll take a look at Appendix 6 as referred and hopefully this will shed some more light.
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
RE: Steel Beam to Masonry Wall Connection - Beam Pocket Grouted Solid
Contractor was probably trying to avoid having to deliver fabricated steel before/while the masons are building the wall? The actual act of grouting probably wasn't the issue. Bolting a plate to the face of wall is more off-the-shelf and can be done any time prior to steel erection.