Economical Steel
Connections and
Details
Author
John W. Nagel is chief engineer,
AFCO Steel, Little Rock, Arkansas.
He is a graduate of the University
of Notre Dame where he earned his
bachelor's and master's degree in
civil engineering. After serving two
years in the Army Corps of En-
gineers, he worked on the struc-
tural design of portions of the
McClelland-Kerr Arkansas River
navigation project as a civilian
employee of the Corps. Since join-
ing AFCO in 1972, he has held the
positions of bridge engineer, chief
John W. Nagel project engineer, and project direc-
tor. Currently, as chief engineer, he
heads AFCO's Engineering and
Drafting Department.
Nagel is a registered profes-
sional engineer whose affiliations
include the ASCE and the Little
Rock Engineers Club. He has been
a member of the AISC Manual and
Textbook Committee since 1981
and was active in the publication of
AISC's Engineering for Steel Con-
struction and Detailing for Steel
Construction.
Summary
The "lion's share" of fabricator's
costs are in the steel connections
he provides. The most economical
connections for a given type of
project will vary somewhat from
fabricator to fabricator, but there
are many general common-sense
guidelines for economical connec-
tions on which most fabricators will
agree and which will provide
sound, cost-effective details.
It may be easier for a designer to
call for column web stiffeners at all
moment connections or specify full
penetration welds for all moment
end plate welds, but these
measures are probably not neces-
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sary and will add cost to the job. If
the fabricator is to develop connec-
tions, then the end reactions, mo-
ments, axial transfer loads, etc.,
should be shown on the design
drawings so that the fabricator does
not have to assume the maximum
possible forces in the connections.
With computerized structural
design, the minimum weight mem-
bers can be selected which will
result in a light structure, but if this is
done at the expense of simplicity
and repetition, it will probably not be
the most economical design. It will
generally be less expensive to pro-
vide a clean detail which repeats
throughout an area rather than to
select the lightest member or con-
nection for each different condition.
If field welding is common in the
construction area, welded details-
particularly for moment connec-
tions-will probably be more
economical (overall) than elaborate
bolted moment connections.
For welded construction, a
fabricator's costs depend to a large
extent on the type of weld details he
is permitted to use. Direct tensile or
compressive forces can be trans-
ferred with fillet welds or partial
penetration groove welds just as
they can be with full penetration
groove welds. If the fabricator has
a particular preference, every effort
should be made to accommodate
it. To avoid excessive distortion,
particularly on unsymmetrical sec-
tions, shorter lengths of intermittent
welds should be used rather than
long, continuous welds.
By working together and using
common sense, the designer and
fabricator can produce sound,
economical connections which will
enhance the efficiency and useful-
ness of the steel structures.
 ECONOMICAL STEEL CONNECTIONS AND DETAILS

By John W. Nagel

INTRODUCTION

Sound, economical connections and details for structural steel framing most
often result from the application of good common sense. Generally, the
detail which looks the cleanest and simplest will be the most economical.
Rather than attempting to cover a wide range of different types of connec-
tions, this paper will cover some of the more basic connection types and
factors affecting a fabricator's costs. We will discuss:
1. Simple (Type 2) Beam Connections
2. Moment (Type 1) Connections
3. Welding Considerations
Although the paper is written from a fabricator's perspective, con-
sideration will be given to overall construction costs. The comparative
cost values given for the connections are applicable within each group,
i.e., simple beam connections, moment connections, etc., and do not apply
to connections of different groups. They do not cover any special features
such as seal welding or painting.
It should be remembered that the cost figures reflect the experience and
opinions of one fabricator. Other equally experienced fabricators might
disagree.

SIMPLE (TYPE 2) BEAM CONNECTIONS

In designing flexible beam connections, usually the simplest detail which

will permit end rotations consistent with the flexibility requirements
and design assumptions should be used.
Different shops have different types of equipment and personnel skills and
therefore different connection preferences. Some may be more efficient in
punching or drilling heavy material, others may prefer more welding and
less drilling, still others may prefer a mix. Often work on a series of
floor framing members can be limited to "welding only" or "punching only"
with the wise selection of beam connections.

1. Chief Engineer, AFCO Steel, Little Rock, Arkansas

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Framing Angles - shop welded or shop bolted, are probably the most
straightforward and common connection for flexible beam connections. This
connection will almost always provide adequate strength for the beam reac-
tion. Consider a W18 x 35 (A36) beam spanning 20 ft. with a reaction of 30
kips. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1 — Framing Angles

We will set the relative cost of the welded framing angle connection at 1.0.
In determining whether to shop weld or bolt the framing angles, the fabri-
cator must consider:
1. Hole making capacity
2. Availability and skill of welders
3. Painting requirements
4. Seal welding requirements

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End Plate Shear Connections - are suitable for shops with facilities for
accurately cutting beams. Both the beam length and squareness of the ends
must be controlled so that the end plates will be perpendicular to the beam
and parallel to each other. Their major advantage is simplicity, having
only one detail piece per end. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2 — End Plate

This connection compares favorably with framing angles for rotation capa-
city and strength. For adequate flexibility, the thickness of the end
plate should be in the 1/4" to 3/8" range. If seal welding for a corrosive
environment is required, shops may prefer the end plate to the framing
angles. The plate should not receive a full structural weld across the
beam web at the top or bottom because of the tendency to melt the corner
material and create a reduced section. If seal welding is required, it
should be done carefully with a small bead. End plate connections have a
relative cost value of 0.9.
Both the framing angles and end plates require drilling of the column or
supporting member, which in the case of heavy columns, can be expensive.
Two connections which will avoid this condition are discussed below.

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Knife Connections - are a variation of the double framing angles and are
generally used to eliminate drilling of heavy columns. They consist of two
framing angles shop welded to the column with open holes in the beam web
and corresponding angle legs. Erection clearances must be provided between
the angles and the beam must be coped to allow its erection by "knifing" or
lowering the beam into place from above. (Fig. 3)
We figure the relative value of this connection to be 1.4. If the column
were considerably heavier, and all drilling of the column eliminated with
knife connections at the flanges and, say, seats in the web, this connec-
tion would be more attractive.

Fig. 3 — Knife Connection

Single Plate Connections - are popular with fabricators and erectors

because of their simplicity and ease of positioning and pinning. (Fig. 4)
As explained in AISC's Engineering for Steel Construction, the inherent
rigidity has been of concern to designers, but extensive research by
Ralph Richard (1) at the University of Arizona and later research by
Hassan Astaneh (2) at the University of California - Berkeley has shown
that the single plate connection may be considered a type 2 "simple fra-
ming" connection if certain guidelines are followed and the end moment need
not be considered to be transferred to the supporting member. The 9th
Edition AISC Manual of Steel Construction (ASD) will contain a new
simplified design procedure and load tables for these connections.

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 Fig. 4 — Single Plate

Because of its simplicity, the relative cost value of this connection is

1.0. As with the knife connection, it would be even more attractive with
heavier columns without drilling.

MOMENT (TYPE 1) BEAM CONNECTIONS

This type connection assumes that beam-to-column members are connected with
sufficient rigidity to prevent rotations of the members with respect to
each other.
Let's examine some of the more common types of moment connections and some
of the features which contribute to their costs.

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 Fig. 4 — Single Plate

Because of its simplicity, the relative cost value of this connection is

1.0. As with the knife connection, it would be even more attractive with
heavier columns without drilling.

MOMENT (TYPE 1) BEAM CONNECTIONS

This type connection assumes that beam-to-column members are connected with
sufficient rigidity to prevent rotations of the members with respect to
each other.
Let's examine some of the more common types of moment connections and some
of the features which contribute to their costs.

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Field Welded Moment Connections - are simple, direct, and economical, par-
ticularly in parts of the country where field welding is prevalent. Moment
is carried by field groove welds of the beam flanges to the column flange.
A shear plate to carry the beam shear and to provide temporary support for
the beam during erection is typically shop welded to the column. (Fig. 5)

Fig. 5 — Field Welded with Stiffeners

The moment connection of the W24 x 55 beam to the W14 x 90 column above
consists of full penetration, down-hand, groove welded flanges and a 3/8"
shear plate with 5-3/4 A325 bolts and 4 stiffeners fillet welded to the
column. We have calculated a relative cost value of 1.4 for this connec-
tion, including consideration of extra labor for the field welding.

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The connection can be cleaned up and made more economical if the column
stiffeners can be eliminated. The most straightforward way to do this is
to increase the size of the column. In this case, increasing the column
one size to a W14 x 99 eliminates the need for stiffeners and reduces the
relative cost to 1.0. (Fig. 6)

Fig. 6 — Field Welded without Stiffeners

(Heavier Column)

Some designs have unnecessarily called for complete development of the beam
flanges and web where the full moment capacity of the beam was needed at
the connection. Full-scale laboratory tests (3, 4, 5) have shown that the
beam's plastic moment capacity/ Mp, can be fully developed when its flanges
are full-penetration welded to the column flange and the beam web is either
bolted or welded to a single plate designed for beam shear. This apparent
increase in beam capacity occurs because of strain hardening of the flanges
to permit the development of Mp. The shear forces are carried by the beam
web and the web connection.

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Because of the field welding, some important considerations which must be
given to this type of connection are:
1. Job location and climate
2. Are qualified welders available for the field welding?
3. Does the paint system preclude the use of field welding? Note that
the relative cost figures above are based on unpainted steel. A
single prime coat which could be touched up would add to the cost,
but a two or three coat exotic paint system might preclude the use
of field welding altogether.
Moment End Plate - is an efficient and desirable moment connection if field
welding is not permitted. If an end plate is used, there are several ways
in which it can be welded to the beam after the beam has been accurately
cut to the proper length with a good square cut.
1. Full penetration groove welds. (Fig. 7) The type of full penetration
weld selected will be dependent on the flange thickness, but will
always require preparation of the grooves and access holes (rat holes)
for the weld on the back side. Notice that stiffeners were required
for the first field welded example and are not required for the same
beam and column when the end plate is used.

Fig. 7 — Moment End Plate

(Full Penetration Welds)
Primarily because of the labor involved with the full penetration welding,
this connection has a relative cost value of 1.2.

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2. Partial penetration and fillet welds. (Fig. 8) By using this com-
bination of welds, the expensive preparation of the beam end can be
reduced considerably and a comparable connection furnished. The rela-
tive cost is then reduced to 1.1.

Fig. 8 — Moment End Plate

(Partial Penetration & Fillet Welds)
3. Fillet welds only. (Fig. 9) By eliminating the partial penetration
groove, we have reduced the preparation labor. Even though multi-pass
fillet welds are required, the relative cost (1.0) of this moment con-
nection is less than the others.

Fig. 9 — Moment End Plate

(Fillet Welds)

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Field Bolted Flange Moment Plates - are perhaps the least desirable type of
moment connection for our company. (Fig. 10) This type of connection
involves more detail parts and requires more precise fabrication for all
the bolts to fit. In this particular example, it, like the first field
welded example, requires the use of column stiffeners.

Fig. 10 — Field Bolted Flange Moment Plates

We would rate the relative cost of this connection at 1.7 with the
W14 x 90 column and stiffeners. If the column size is increased to
W14 x 99 and the stiffeners eliminated, the relative cost is reduced to
1.4.

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WELDING CONSIDERATIONS

Welded Joints - were discussed in the Moment End Plate section, but let us
take a closer look at three alternate weld details which can be used to
fully develop a 1" plate in tension:
1. Full Penetration Groove Weld with either back gouging and welding
from the other side or with a back-up bar on the other side will
fully develop the plate, requires no strength calculations, and is
often specified unnecessarily. Because of the material preparation
and care which must be given the root and "other side" treatment, we
use a relative cost value of 1.3 for the full penetration weld.
(Fig. lla) Note that this applies to plates only where no rat-hole
is required. Additional cost would be incurred with welded shapes
because of the rat-hole.
2. A Partial Penetration Groove Weld can be used in combination with a
fillet weld to produce a joint with comparable strength. By
reducing the special care and root treatment, we figure the relative
cost of this joint is reduced to 1.2. (Fig. 11b)
3. Fillet Welds can also be used to develop this 1" plate in tension.
It will take 2-3/4" fillet welds to do the job, but even so, we feel
that the labor is simplified to the point of a 1.0 relative cost
value. (Fig. 11c) As the thickness of the plate to be developed
increases, the volume of weld for the fillet welds increases much
faster than that for the groove welds and will quickly reach a point
where it is more economical to use the groove welds. Depending on
the particular fabricator, that breaking point may be around 1"
plate thickness or even less for some fabricators. At any rate, the
fabricator should be given the option.

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 Fig. 11 - Welded Joints

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Welding on unsymmetrical sections can present problems if proper attention
is not given to potential distortion caused by weld shrinkage during
cooling. When long continuous attachments must be made, it is preferable
to use shorter lengths of intermittent welds rather than long continuous
welds, provided, of course, that the continuous welds are not needed for
strength. (Fig. 12)

Fig. 12 — Distortion Due to Welding

If the length of the member in Figure 12 is not over 20 feet, consideration
should be given to a shape which could be fabricated from bent plate.

SUMMARY

In this paper, we have compared one fabricator's relative costs for two
groups of beam-to-column connections: (a) simple (TYPE 2) and moment
(TYPE 1) connections. The costs are for comparative purposes only and will
undoubtedly vary among fabricators.
Some general guidelines and cost figures have been presented for different
welded joints. Depending on the fabricator's personnel, equipment, and
preferences, it is generally more economical to weld lighter work with
fillet welds or partial penetration groove welds, rather than the more labor
intensive full penetration welds.
When welding unsymmetrical shapes, consideration should be given to poten-
tial distortion due to weld shrinkage. When possible, shorter lengths of
intermittent welds rather than long continuous lengths should be used.

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 REFERENCES

1. Richard, R.M., P.E. Gillett, J.D. Kriegh, and B.A. Lewis "The Analysis
and Design of Single Plate Framing Connections," AISC Engineering
Journal, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2nd Qtr., 1980.
2. Astaneh, A., K.M. McMullin and S.M. Call "Design of Single Plate
Framing Connections," Report No. UCB/SEMM University of California -
Berkeley, July, 1988.
3. Krawinkler, H. and Popov, E.P., "Seismic Behavior of Moment Connections
and Joints," ASCE Journal of the Structural Division, Vol. 108, No. ST2,
Feb. 1982.
4. Chen, W.F. and Beedle, L.S., "Behavior and Design of Steel
Beam-to-Column Moment Connections," WRC Bulletin 188, Oct. 1973.
5. Beedle, L.S., Lu, Le-wu, and Ozer, E., "Recent Developments in Steel
Building Design," AISC Engineering Journal, Vol. 10, No. 4, Fourth
Quarter, 1973.

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