WELDED CONNECTIONS

WELDING
Welding is the process of joining metal parts by
fusing them and filling in with molten metal from the
electrode. The connecting components is done by
heating the materials to a suitable temperature so
that fusion occurs. The most common method for
heating steelwork is by means of an electric arc
between a coated wire electrode and the materials
being joined.
 During the process, which is illustrated in Figure, the
coated electrode is consumed, the wire becomes the filler
material and the coating is converted partly into a
shielding gas, partly into slag, and some part is
absorbed by the weld metal.
The two main processes in structural steel welding
are:
(1) Manual arc welding, It is the most common for
structural joint.
(2) Automatic arc welding. It is used for long continuous
welds.
TYPES OF WELDING
The two types in most common use are butt and fillet
welds. Butt welds, often used to lengthen plates in the
end on position, may be considered as strong as the
parent plate as long as full penetration for the weld is
achieved. For thin plates penetration is achieved
without preparing the plate, but on thicker plates V or
double J preparation is required.
 Fillet welds are generally formed with equal leg
lengths. They do not require special edge preparation of
the plates and are therefore cheaper than butt welds.
The weld size is specified by the leg length.
DESIGN OF FILLET WELDS
Important provisions regarding fillet welds are set
out in code:
(1) End returns for fillet welds around corners should be
at least twice the leg length.
(2) In lap joints the lap length should not be less than
four times the thickness of the thinner plate.
(3) In end connections the length of weld should not be
less than the transverse spacing between the welds.
(4) Intermittent welds should not be used under fatigue
conditions. The spacing between intermittent welds
should not exceed 300mm or 16t for parts in
compression or 24t for parts in tension, where t is the
thickness of the thinner plate.
DESIGN STRENGTH OF FILLET WELDS
STRENGTH OF FILLET WELD
In the simple method, the strength of a fillet
weld is calculated using the throat thickness. For
the 90◦ fillet weld the throat thickness is taken as
0.7 times the size or leg length:

Strength of weld = 0.7 leg length ×pw/103 KN/mm,

Strengths of fillet weld are given in Table 10.5.

EXAMPLE (1): DIRECT SHEAR CONNECTION
Design the fillet weld for the direct shear connection
for the angle loaded as shown in Figure, where the
load acts through the centeroidal axis of the angle. The
steel is Grade S275:
Factored load = (1.4 × 50) + (1.6 × 60) = 166 KN,
Use 6-mm fillet weld, strength from Table 10.5
= 0.92 KN/mm,
Length required = 166/0.92 = 180.4 mm,
Balance the weld on each side as shown in Figure
10.26(b):
Side X, length = 180.4 × 43.9/65 = 121.8 mm,
Add 12 mm, final length = 133.8 mm, say 140 mm,
Side Y, length = 180.4 − 121.8 = 58.6 mm,
Add 12 mm, final length = 70.6, say 80 mm.
Note that the length on side Y exceeds the distance
between the welds ( 65 mm).
 A weld may also be placed across the end of the
angle, as shown in Figure (c). The length of weld
on side Y,
Ly may be found by taking moments about side X. In
terms of weld lengths this gives:
(Ly × 65) + (65 × 32.5) = (180.4 × 21.1)
Ly = 26.1 + 6 = 32.1, say 40 mm.
Length on side X:
Lx = 180.4 − 65 − 26.1 + 6 = 95.3 mm, say 100 mm.
Note that the leg length has been added at ends of all
weld lengths calculated above to allow for craters at
the ends. To comply with the code requirements, weld
Ly is increased to 65 mm. Weld Lx is also increased in
proportion to 200 mm.
ECCENTRIC CONNECTIONS
The two types of eccentrically loaded
connections are shown in Figure. These are:
(1) The torsion joint with the load in the plane of
the weld; and
(2) The bracket connection.

In both cases, the fillet welds are in shear

due to direct load and moment.
TORSION JOINT WITH LOAD IN PLANE OF
WELD
 A rectangular weld group is shown in Figure
10.24(a), where the eccentric load P is taken on one
plate. The weld is of unit leg length throughout:
Direct shear
Fs = P/length of weld
= P/(2x + 2y).
Shear due to torsion
FT = Per/Ip
where,
Ip is the polar moment of inertia of the weld group
= Ix + Iy,
Ix = (y3/6) + (xy2/2),
Iy = (x3/6) + (x2y/2),
r = 0.5(x2 + y2)0.5
 The resultant shear on a unit length of weld at
A is given by:

FR = [F2S + F2T + 2FSFT cos φ]0.5

The weld size can be selected from Table 10.5.

 If the weld is made on three sides only, as shown
on Figure,

Fs = P/length of weld
= P/(2x + y).
x1 = x2/(2x + y)
Ix = y3/12 +2 x(y/2)2
Iy = x3/6 + 2x(x/2 − x1)2 + yx12
The above procedure can
then be applied.
EXAMPLE (2): TORSION CONNECTION WITH
LOAD IN PLANE OF WELD

One side plate of an eccentrically loaded connection

is shown in Figure (a). The plate is welded on three
sides only. Find the maximum shear force in the weld
and select a suitable fillet weld from Table 10.5.

Find the position of the centre of gravity of the weld

group by taking moments about side AB (see Figure
(b)):
Length L = 700 mm,
Distance to centroid x1 = x2/(2x + y)
= 2002 /(2 × 200+300)
= 57.14 mm,
Eccentricity of load e = 250 + x/2 – x1
= 292.86 mm.
Moments of inertia:
Ix = 2× 200 × (300/2)2 + 3003/12 = 11.25 × 106 mm3,
Iy = (300 × 57.142) + (2003/6) + (2 × 200 × 42.862)
= 3.047 × 106 mm3,
Ip = (11.25 + 3.047)106 = 14.297 × 106 mm3,
r = [(y/2)2 +(x/2 +(x/2-x1))2]0.5 = 207.14 mm,
Angle cos φ = 142.86/207.14 = 0.689
 Factored load = (1.4 × 40) + (1.6 × 60) = 152 KN,
Direct shear Fs = P/(2x + y).
= 152/700 = 0.217 KN/mm.
Shear due to torsion on weld at C:
FT = Per/Ip
= 152 × 292.86 × 207.14 / (14.297 × 106)
= 0.645 KN / mm.
Resultant shear:
FR = [F2S + F2T + 2FSFT cos φ]0.5
= (0.2172 + 0.6452 + 2 × 0.217 × 0.645 × 0.689 )0.5
= 0.81 KN / mm.
A 6-mm fillet weld, strength 0.92 KN/mm is required.
BRACKET CONNECTION
Consider the bracket shown in Figure (a), which is
cut from a universal beam with a flange added to the
web. The bracket is connected by fillet welds to the
column flange. The flange welds have a throat
thickness of unity and the web welds a throat
thickness q, a fraction of unity. Assume rotation about
the centroidal axis XX. Then:

Weld length L = 2b + 2aq,

Moment of inertia Ix = 2b(d/2)2 + 2 qa3/12,
Direct shear Fs = P/L,
Load due to moment FT = Ped/2Ix,
Resultant load FR = (F2T + F2S )0.5.
Select the weld size from Table 10.5.
 In a second assumption rotation takes place about
the bottom flange X1X1.
The flange welds resist moment and web welds
shear. In this case:
FT = Pe/db
Fs = P/2a.
The weld sizes can be selected from Table 10.5.
With heavily loaded brackets full-strength welds are
required between the bracket and column flange.
 The fabricated T-section bracket is shown in Figure
(b). The moment is assumed to be resisted by the
flange weld and a section of the web in compression of
depth y, as shown in the figure. Shear is resisted by
the web welds.
The bracket and weld dimensions and internal forces
resisting moment are shown in the figure. The web
area in compression is ty. Equating moments gives:
 Ix = b(d/2)2 + 2 qa3/12,
P · e = T (d − 2y/3) = C(d − 2y/3)
C = ½ py ty = T
P · e = ½ pyty(d − 2 y/3).
Solve the quadratic equation for y and calculate C:
The flange weld force FT = T/b,
The web weld force Fs = P/2(d − y).
Select welds from Table 10.5.
The calculations are simplified if the bracket is
assumed to rotate about the X1X1 axis, when
FT = Pe/db.
EXAMPLE (3): BRACKET CONNECTION
Determine the size of fillet weld required for the
bracket connection shown in Figure. The web welds
are to be taken as one half the leg length of the flange
welds. All dimensions and loads are shown in the
figure. Design assuming rotation about XX axis
Factored load = (1.4 × 80) + (1.6 × 110) = 288 KN,
Length L = 2b + 2aq,
= (2 × 173.2) + 2×280 = 906.4 mm,
Inertia Ix = 2b(d/2)2 + 2 qa3/12,
Ix = 2 × 173.2 × (182.3)2 + 2803/6 = 15.17 × 106
mm3,
Direct shear Fs = P/L,
= 288/906.4 = 0.32 KN / mm
Shear from moment FT = Ped/2Ix,
= 288 × 250 × 182.3 /
(15.17×106)
= 0.865 KN/mm
Resultant load FR = (F2T + F2S )0.5
= (0.8652 + 0.322 )0.5
= 0.92 KN/mm
Design assuming rotation about X1X1 axis
The flange weld resists the moment = Pe
= 288 × 250
FT = Pe/db
= 288 × 250 / (364.6 × 173.2)
= 1.14 KN/mm
Provide 8-mm fillet welds, strength 1.23 kN/mm. The
web welds resist the shear:
Fs = P/2a
Fs = 288/(2 × 280) = 0.514 KN/mm.

Provide 6-mm fillet welds. The methods give the same

results.