Western Philippines University

College of Engineering and Technology

Civil Engineering Department

STRUCTURAL STEEL DESIGN

By Dr. Cesario A. Bacosa , Jr.
(Geotechnical and Structural Engineer)

Module 5 : Welded Connections

Structural welding is a process whereby the parts to be connected are heated and fused, with supplementary
molten metal added to the joint. The filler metal is deposited from a special electrode, which is part of an electric
circuit that includes the connected part, or base metal. Quality control of welded connections is particularly
difficult, because the defects below the weld surface, or even minor flaws at the surface, will escape visual
detection. Welders must be properly certified, and for critical work, special inspection techniques such as
radiography or ultrasonic testing must be used.
The two most common types of welds are the fillet weld and the groove weld shown below.

(1) Fillet welds

(a) Butt

(b) Tee

(c) Corner

(2) Complete penetration groove welds

(3) Partial penetration groove welds

NSCP Specifications
510.3 Welds
510.3.1 All provisions of the American Welding Society Structural Welding Code-Steel, AWS D1.1, except Sections
2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 8.13.1, 9, and 10, apply to work performed under this Specification.
510.3.2 Groove Welds
510.3.2.1 Effective Area
1. The effective area of groove welds shall be considered as the effective length of the weld times the
effective throat thickness.
2. The effective length of a groove weld shall be the width of the part joined.
3. The effective throat thickness of a complete-penetration groove weld shall be the thickness of the
thinner part joined.
4. The effective throat thickness of a partial-penetration groove weld shall be as shown in Table 510-1.

Table 510-1 Effective Throat Thickness of Partial-penetration Groove Welds

Welding Process
Welding
Included angle
Effective Throat
Position
at root of groove
Thickness
Shielded metal arc
J or U joint
Submerged arc
Depth of chamfer
All
Gas metal arc
Bevel or V
joint 60o
Bevel or V
Depth of chamfer
Flux-cored arc
joint < 60o
minus 3 mm
But 45o
5.

The effective throat thickness of a flare groove weld when flush to the surface of a bar or 90 o bend in a
formed section shall be as shown in Table 510-2. Random sections of production welds for each
welding procedure, or such test sections as may be required by design documents, shall be used to
verify that the effectively throat thickness is consistently obtained.

Table 510-2 Effective Throat Thickness of Flare Groove Welds

Type of Weld
Radius (R) of
Effective Throat
Bar or Bend
Thickness
Flare bevel groove
All
(5/16)R
Flare V-groove
All
(1/2)Ra
a Use (3/8)R for Gas Metal Arc Welding (except short circuiting
transfer process) when R 12 mm.
6.

Larger effective throat thicknesses than those in Table 510-2 are permitted, provided the fabricator can
establish by qualification that he can consistently provide such larger effective throat thicknesses.
Qualification shall consist of sectioning the weld normal to its axis, at mid-length and terminal ends.
Such sectioning shall be made on a number of combinations of material sizes representative of the range
to be used in the fabrication or as required by the designer.

510.3.2.2 Limitations. The minimum effective throat thickness of a partial-penetration groove weld shall be as shown
in Table 510-3. Minimum effective throat thickness is determined by the thicker of the two parts joined,
except that the weld size need not exceed the thickness of the thinnest part joined. For this exception,
particular care shall be taken to provide sufficient preheat for soundness of the weld.
Table 510-3 Minimum Effective Throat Thickness
of Partial-penetration Groove Welds
Material thickness of
Minimum effective
thicker part joined, mm
Throat Thicknessa, mm
To 6 inclusive
1/8 (3)
Over 6 to 12
3/16 (5)
Over 12 to 20
1/4 (4)
Over 20 to 38
5/16 (8)
Over 38 to 57
3/8 (10)
Over 57 to 150
1/2 (13)
Over 150
5/8 (16)
a
See Section 510.3
510.3.3 Fillet Welds
510.3.3.1 Effective Area
1.
2.

The effective area of fillet welds shall be taken as the effective length times the effective throat
thickness.
The effective length of fillet welds, except fillet welds in holes and slots, shall be the overall length of
full-size fillets, including returns.

3.

4.

The effective throat thickness of a fillet weld shall be the shortest distance from the root of the joint to
the face of the diagrammatic weld, except that for fillet welds made by the submerged arc process, the
effective throat thickness shall be taken equal to the leg size for 10 mm and smaller fillet welds, and
equal to the theoretical throat plus 3 mm for fillet welds larger than 10 mm.
For fillet welds in holes and slots, the effective length shall be the length of the centerline of the weld
along the center of the plane through the throat. In the case of overlapping fillets, the effective area
shall not exceed the nominal cross-sectional area of the hole slot in the plane of the faying surface.

510.3.3.2 Limitations
1. The minimum size of fillet welds shall be as shown in Table 510-4. Minimum weld size is dependent
upon the thicker of the two parts joined, except that the weld size need not exceed the thickness of the
thinner part. For this exception, particular care shall be taken to provide sufficient reheat for soundness of
the weld. Weld sizes larger than the thinner part joined are permitted if required by calculated strength. In
the as-weld condition, the distance between the edge of the base metal and the toe of the weld may be less
than 1.6 mm provided the weld size is clearly verifiable.
Table 510-4 Minimum Size of Fillet Welds
Material thickness of
Minimum Size of Fillet
Thicker Part Joined, mm
Weld,a mm
To 6 inclusive
3
Over 6 to 12
5
Over 12 to 20
6
Over 20
8
[a] Leg dimension of fillet welds. Single pass welds
must be used.
2.

The maximum size of fillet welds that is permitted along edges of connected parts shall be:

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Material less than 6 mm thick, not greater than the thickness of the material.
Material 6 mm or more in thickness, not greater than the thickness of the material minus 1.6 mm,
unless the weld is especially designed on the drawings to be built out to obtain full-throat
thickness.
The minimum effective length of fillet welds designated on the basis of strength shall be not less than 4
times the nominal size, or else the size of the weld shall be considered not to exceed of its effective
length. If longitudinal fillet welds are used alone in end connections of flat bar tension members, the
length of each fillet weld shall be not less than the perpendicular distance between them. The
transverse spacing of longitudinal fillet welds used in end connections of tension members shall not
exceed 200 mm, unless the member is designed on the basis of effective net area in accordance with
Section 502.4.
Intermittent fillet welds are permitted to transfer calculated stress across a joint or faying surface when
the strength required is less than that developed by a continuous fillet weld of the smallest permitted
size, and to join components of built-up members. The effective length of any segment of intermittent
fillet welding shall be not less than 4 times the weld size, with a minimum of 38 mm.
In lap joints, the minimum lap shall be 5 times the thickness of the thinner part joined, but not less than
25 mm. Lap joints joining plates or bars subjected to axial stress shall be fillet welded along the end of
both lapped parts, except where the deflection of the lapped part is sufficiently restrained to prevent
opening of the joint under maximum loading.
Fillet welds in holes or slots are permitted to transmit shear in lap joints or to prevent the buckling or
separation of lapped parts and to join components of built-up members. Such fillet welds may overlap,
subject to the provisions of Section 510.3. Fillet welds in holes or slots are not to be considered plug or
slot welds.
Slide or end fillet welds terminating at ends or sides, respectively, of parts or members shall, wherever
practicable, be returned continuously around the corners for a distance not less than 2 times the
nominal size of weld. This provision shall apply to side and top fillet welds connecting brackets, beam
seats and similar connections, on the plane about which bending moments are computed. For framing
angles and simple end-plate connections which depend upon flexibility of the outstanding legs for
connection flexibility, end returns shall not exceed 4 times the nominal size of the weld. Fillet welds

that occur on opposite sides of a common to both welds. End returns shall be indicated on the design
and details drawings.
510.3.4 Plug and Slot Welds
510.3.4.1 Effective Area. The effective shearing area of plug and slot welds shall be considered as the nominal crosssectional area of the hole or slot in the plane of the faying surface.
510.3.4.2 Limitations
1. Plug or slot welds are permitted to transmit shear in lap joints or to prevent buckling of lapped parts
and to join component parts of built-up members.
2. The diameter of the hole for a plug weld shall not be less than the thickness of the part containing it
plus 8 mm, rounded to the next larger odd 1.6 mm, nor greater than the minimum diameter plus 3 mm
or 2.25 times the thickness of the weld.
3. The minimum center-to-center spacing of plug welds shall be 4 times the diameter of the hole.
4. The minimum spacing of lines of slot welds in a direction transverse to their length shall be 4 times the
width of the slot. The minimum center-to-center spacing in a longitudinal direction on any line shall be
2 times the length of the slot.
5. The length of slot for a slot weld shall not exceed 10 times the thickness of the weld. The width of the
slot shall be not less than the thickness of the part containing it pluss 8 mm, nor shall it be larger than
2.25 times the thickness of the weld. The ends of the slot shall be semicircular or shall have the corners
rounded to a radius not less than the thickness of the part containing it, except those ends which extend
to the edge of the part.
6. The thickness of plug or slot welds in material 16 mm or less in thickness shall be equal to the thickness
of the material. In material over 16 mm thick, the thickness of the weld shall be at least the thickness
of the material but not less than 16 mm.
510.3.5 Allowable Stresses
510.3.5.1 Except as modified by the provisions to Section 511.5. welds shall be proportioned to meet the stress
requirements given in Table 510-5.
510.3.6 Combination of Welds
510.3.6.1 If two or more of the general types of weld (groove, fillet, plug, slot) are combined in a single joint, the
effective capacity of each shall be separately computed with reference to the axis of the group in order to
determine the allowable capacity of the combination.
510.3.7 Mixed Weld Metal
510.3.7.1 When notch-toughness is specified, the process consumables for all weld metal, tack welds, root pass and
subsequent passes, deposited in a joint shall be compatible to assure notch-tough composite weld metal.
510.3.8 Preheat for Heavy Shapes
510.3.8.1 For ASTM A6 Group 4 and 5 shapes and welded built-up members made of plates more than 50 mm thick, a
preheat equal to or greater than 177 oC shall be used when making groove weld splices.
Table 510-5 Allowable Stress on Weldsf
Type of Weld and Stress
Allowable Stress
Required Weld Strength Levelb, c
Complete-penetration Groove Welds
Tension normal to
Same as base metal
Matching weld metal shall be
effective area
used
Compression normal to
Same as base metal
effective area
Weld metal with a strength level
equal to or less than matching
Tension or compression Same as base metal
weld metal is permitted
parallel to axis of weld
Shear on effective area
0.30 times nominal tensile
strength of weld metal (MPa)
Partial-penetration Groove Weldsd
Compression normal to
Same as base metal
effective area
Tension or compression Same as base metal
Weld metal with a strength level
parallel to axis of weld c

Shear parallel to axis of

weld
Tension normal to
effective area

Shear on effective area

Tension or compression
parallel to axis of weldc
Shear parallel to faying
surfaces (on effective
area)

0.30 times nominal tensile

strength of weld metal (MPa)
0.30 times nominal tensile
strength of weld metal (MPa),
except tensile stress on base
metal shall not exceed 0.60
times yield stress of base
metal
Fillet Welds
0.30 times nominal tensile
strength of weld metal (MPa)
Same as base metal

equal to or less than matching

weld metal is permitted

Weld metal with a strength level

equal to or less than matching
weld metal is permitted

Plug and Slot Welds

0.30 times nominal tensile
Weld metal with a strength level
strength of weld metal (MPa)
equal to or less than matching
weld metal is permitted

For definition of effective area, see Section 510.3

For matching weld metal, see Table 4.1.1, AWS D1.1
c Weld metal one strength level stronger than matching weld metal will be permitted.
d See Section 510.3.2.2 for a limitation on use of partial-penetration groove welded joints.
e Fillet welds and partial-penetration groove welds joining the component elements of built-up members,
such as flange-to-web connections may be designed without regard to the tensile or compressive stress in
these elements parallel to the axis of the welds.
f The design of connected material is governed by Sections 504 through 507.
b

Related NSCP Specifications

510.1.1 Splices in Heavy Sections
510.1.1.1 This article applies to ASTM A6 Group 4 and 5 rolled shapes, or shapes built-up by welding plates more
than 50 mm thick together to form the cross section, and where the cross section is to be spliced and subject
to primary tensile stresses due to tension or flexure.
510.1.1.2 When tensile forces in these sections are to be transmitted through splices by full-penetration groove welds,
material notch-toughness requirements as given in Section 501.3.1.3, weld access holes details as given in
Section 510.2.8, compatible welding procedures as given in Section 510.3.7, welding preheat requirements as
given in Section 510.3.8 and thermal cut surface preparation and inspection requirements as given in Section
513.2.2 apply.
510.1.1.3 At tension splices in these sections, weld tabs and backing shall be removed and the surfaces ground
smooth.
510.1.1.4 When splicing in these sections, and where the section is to be used as a primary compression member, all
weld access holes required to facilitate groove welding operations shall satisfy the provisions of Section
510.2.8.
510.1.1.5 Alternatively, splicing of such members subject to compression, including members which are subject to
tension due to wind or seismic loads, may be accomplished using splice details which do not induce large
weld shrinkage strains such as partial-penetration flange groove welds with fillet-welded surface lap plate
splices on the web, or with bolted or combination bolted/fillet-welded lap splices.
510.1.2 Beam Copes and Weld Access Holes
510.1.2.1 All weld access holes required to facilitate welding operations shall have a length from the toe of the weld
preparation not less than 1.5 times the thickness of the material in which the hole is made. The height of the
access hole shall be adequate for deposition of sound weld metal in the adjacent plates and provide
clearance for weld tabs. In hot rolled shapes and built-up shapes, all beam copes and weld access holes shall
be shaped free of notches or sharp reentrant corners except that, when fillet web-to-flange welds are used in
built-up shapes, access holes are permitted to terminate perpendicular to the flange.
510.1.2.2 For Group 4 and 5 shapes and built-up shapes of material more than 50 mm thick, the thermally cut surfaces
of beam copes and weld access holes shall be ground to bright metal and inspected by either magnetic
particle or dye penetrant methods. If the curved transition portion of weld access holes and beam copes are

formed by predrilled or sawed holes, that portion of the access or cope need not be ground. Weld access
holes and beam copes in other shapes need not be ground nor inspected by dye penetrant or magnetic
particle.

Strength of Fillet Welds

The design and analysis of fillet welds is based on the assumption that the cross section of the weld is a 45 0
right triangle, as shown below.
Throat of weld
(failure plane)
t

The thickness at the throat of the weld is t sin 450 0.707t . Thus, for a given length of weld L subjected to a load P,
the shearing stress at the throat of the weld is
P
fv
[1]
0.707tL
where t is the weld size. If the weld allowable shearing stress, FW, is used in the equation, the allowable load
capacity of the weld can be written as
[2]
R 0.707tLFW

In most problems, it is advantageous to use the strength per unit length, q

q 0.707tFW

[3]

The strength of a fillet weld depends on the weld metal used. For the commonly used grades of steel, only
two electrodes need be considered:
1) Use E70XX electrodes with steels that have yield stress less than 414 MPa.
2) Use E80XX electrodes with steels that have yield stress of 414 MPa.
A designation of E70XX or simply E70 indicates an electrode with an ultimate tensile strength of 70 ksi
(480 MPa).
Weld Symbols
Welds are specified on design drawings by standard symbols. Details are given in Part 8 of the Manual, Design
Considerations for Welds. A brief introduction to the standard symbols for fillet welds follows.

6
6

150

Near side (arrow side)

Other
side
6
6

Both sides

Weld all around

6

150

Reference

150

150
150

E70

Field weld

Example 1001. A flat bar used as a tension member is connected to a gusset plate as shown. The welds are 4 mm
fillet welds made of E70 electrodes using SMAW process. The connected parts are of A36 steel. Assume that the
tensile strength of the member is adequate and determine the design strength of the welded connection.
10 mm plate
6 x 75 mm PL
P
100
mm

Solution.

1) Check limitations based on NSCP 510.3.3.2 Items 2, 3

maximum size of weld = 6 -1.6 = 4.4 mm > 4 mm OK.
minimum effective length = 4t = 4(4) = 16 mm < 100 mm OK.
Length of longitudinal fillet weld = 100 mm > 75 mm OK.
2) The basic strength of the weld is
FW 0.30FEXX 0.30(480) 144 MPa

NSCP Table 510-5

3) The load capacity per unit length is

q 0.707tFW 0.707(4)(144) 407 N/mm
4) Check the strength of the base metal (the smallest thickness controls).
q 0.40Fyt 0.40(250)(6) 600 N/mm
5) The weld strength controls. For this connection,
R qL 407(200)103 81.4 kN
Example 1002. A 100x100x10 mm angle is to be welded to a gusset plate. The angle carries a load of 200 kN applied
along its centroidal axis. a) Determine the lengths of 8 mm side fillet welds required at the heel and toe of the angle.
b) Determine the lengths of side fillet welds if a transverse fillet weld is added at the end of the angle. Assume that
E70 electrodes using SMAW process are used.
Solution.
a) Length of side fillet welds

P2

L2
71.3 mm

P = 200 kN

P1

28.7 mm
L1

Solving the forces P1 and P2 in the welds we obtain

M P2 0 :
100P1 200(71.3) 0

M P1 0 :

200(28.7) P2 (100) 0

The basic strength of the weld is

FW 0.30FEXX 0.30(480) 144 MPa

P1 142.6 kN
P2 57.4 kN
NSCP Table 510-5

The load capacity per unit length of weld is

q 0.707tFW 0.707(8)(144) 814 N/mm
The strength of the base metal is
q 0.40Fyt 0.40(250)(10) 1000 N/mm
The weld strength controls and the required lengths of welds are
P 142.6 x103
P 57.4 x103
L1 1
175 mm;
L2 2
71 mm
q
814
q
814
End return = 2t = 2(8) = 16 mm
NSCP 510.3.3.2 item 7
b)

Length of side fillet welds if a transverse fillet weld is added at the end of the angle

L2

P2

71.3 mm

L3

P3

P = 200 kN

28.7 mm

P1

L1

If a transverse fillet weld is added, it should be symmetrically applied about the line of action of
the applied load in order to avoid eccentricity of loading. This limits the length of the transverse
fillet weld to
L3 2(28.7) 57.4 mm
The load capacity of the transverse fillet weld is
P3 qL3 814(57.4)103 46.7 kN
Solving the forces P1 and P2 in the welds we obtain
M P2 0 :
100P1 (200 46.7)(71.3) 0

P1 109.3 kN

(200 46.7)(28.7) P2 (100) 0

M P1 0 :

The required lengths of side fillet welds are

P 109.3x103
L1 1
135 mm;
q
814

L2

P2 44.0 kN

P2 44.0 x103

54 mm
q
814

Eccentrically Loaded Welded Connections

Example 1003. A 12 mm thick plate is attached to the frame of a machine by three side fillet welds as shown. Determine the
size of the welds using E70 electrodes and SMAW process.

150

C
5
0
100

D
E

xc
100

80 kN

150

yc
F

Px

75

Py

Dimensions in
millimeters

75

Solution:
1) Locate the centroid of the weld group from A
Lxc lx :
350xc 100(0) 150(75) 100(150)

Lyc ly :

350 yc 100(50) 150(150) 100(50)

xc 75 mm

yc 93 mm

2) Equivalent polar moment of inertia of weld group

J AB J EF 100 121 (100) 2 752 432 830733 mm3
J CD 150 121 (150)2 02 57 2 768600 mm3

J L( 121 L2 x2 y 2 ) 2(830733) 768600 2430x103 mm3

3) Load carried by welds due to direct shear
Py 53 (80) 48 kN
Px 54 (80) 64 kN

5
0
100

100

Py 48000
Px 64000
qdy

137 N/mm

183 N/mm
L
350
L
350
4) Torsion due to eccentricity of load
T 64(100 93) 12352 kN-mm
5) Torsional load on most stressed point
point F: xF = 75 mm, yF = 93 mm
Ty 12352(93)103
Tx 12352(75)103
qtx

473 N/mm, qty

381 N/mm
3
J
2430 x10
J
2430 x103
6) Resultant load on most stressed point

qdx

q
qF

qdx qtx qdy qty

2

183 473 137 381

2

836 N/mm

7) Load capacity per unit length

for E70 electrodes, FW 0.30FEXX 0.30(480) 144 MPa

NSCP Table 510-5

strength of weld, q 0.707tFW 0.707(t )(144) 101.8t N/mm

strength of base metal, q 0.40Fyt p 0.40(250)(12) 1200 N/mm > 836 N/mm
8) Required size of weld
q 101.8t ;

836 101.8t

Therefore, use 10 mm fillet welds.

t 8.2 mm, say 10 mm

OK.