Structural Steel Connections

Main source: CISC, 2010, Handbook of Steel Construction, 10th Edition,

Canadian Institute of Steel Construction, Willowdale, Ontario

Codes, Specifications and Standards:

1.
2.
3.

National Building Code of Canada, 2010.

Ontario Building Code, 2006.
CSA Standards (Canadian Standard Association)
a) CAN/CSA-S16-09 for buildings (Limit States Design of Steel
Structures)
b) CAN/CSA-S6-14 for bridges (Canadian Highway Bridge
Design Code)
c) CAN/CSA-G40.20/G40.21-04 for steel (General Requirements
for Rolled or Welded Structural Quality Steel).

Rigid-frame, single storey construction:

It is a frame consisting of two vertical columns and two sloped beams rigidly connected
into one unit. Roof beams (purlins) span between the rigid frames. It is used for industrial
structures, stores, arena, ..etc.

Industrial building with trussed roof, crane girder and

beam-column

Multi-storey braced frame

Load transfer in steel roofs and floors

Corrugated steel sheets placed on the top flanges of steel beams are used to
support the roof and floor weights. Due to high flexural stiffness of the
corrugated sheet in one direction compared to the perpendicular direction, roof
and floor loads are transferred in one way direction to the supporting beam.
Corrugated steel deck

Spot welded of sheets

with top steel flange

Steel decks

One-way load transfer in steel roofs and floors

to supporting beams in the direction of the
steel deck span

Single storey construction with open web steel joists and

Gerber girder system

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OWSJ
OWSJ

Main beam

Main beam

OWSJ

Main beams will be subjected to concentrated loads from the reactions

of open-web steel joists (OWSJ)
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Criteria for design of open web steel joists

Top chord in compression

Support
First
Tension
member

First
Compression
member

Bottom chord in tension

Centric joint on which centrelines of intersection members meet at a point

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Example of unexpected load eccentricity:

Shop drawing shows eccentric
joint creating addition loads
on bottom of column

Shop drawing shows

centric joint

Structural drawing shows

centrelines of intersecting
members meet at a point

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Design of bottom chord (Clause 16.5.6, 16.5.10.4, 16.5.7.3, 13.9)

The bottom chord shall be continuous.
When in tension, the bottom chord may be designed as an axially loaded tension
member if there is no eccentricity of loads involved (i.e. members connected by a joint
With their centroidal axes meet at a point).
When in tension with eccentricity, such eccentricity may be neglected if they do not
exceed:
(1) for continuous web members, the greater of the two distances measured from the
neutral axis of the chord member to the extreme fibers of the chord member,
(2) For non-continuous web members, the distance measured from the neutral axis of
the back (outside face) of the chord member.
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Eccentricity limit

(1) For continuous webs

(2) For non-continuous webs

Eccentricity limit

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 When the eccentricity exceeds these limits, it should be considered in truss analysis.
Case 1:

Case 1 computer modeling of joint eccentricity in a truss:

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Case 2 computer modeling of joint eccentricity in a truss :

General plane truss modelling assumptions obtain realistic forces in diagonal members
and forces and moments in chord members (Packer and Henderson, 1997):

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Web to chord joint eccentricity

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Connection eccentricity

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Bearings of OWSJ (Clause 16.5.11)

Page 1-59

Where a joist bears on a structural steel member, the end of the shoe shall exceed at least 65
mm beyond the edge of the support, except that when the available bearing area is restricted.
This distance may be reduced, provided that the shoe is adequately proportioned and anchored
to the support.
The joist shoe and the end panel of the joist shall be proportioned to include the effect of the
eccentricity between the centre of the bearing end and the intersection of the centroidal axes of
the chord and the end diagonal.

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Check whether a vertical stiffener is required under the joist shoe)

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 For beams supporting joists from one side, good practice suggests that the centre of the
bearing shoe be located within the middle third of the flange of the supporting beam.

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Anchorage of OWSJ supports (Clause 16.5.12)

Page 1-59

Joists shall be properly anchored to withstand the effect of the combined factored
loads, including uplift.
As a minimum, the following shall be provided:
(a) When anchored to masonry or concrete:
1) For floor joists, a 10 mm diameter rod at least 300 mm long embedded horizontally,
2) For roof joists, a 20 mm diameter anchor rod 300 mm long embedded vertically with
a 50 mm, 90 hook, or 20 mm diameter headed anchor rod.

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(b) When supported on steel:

* one 20 mm diameter bolt, or a pair of fillet welds satisfying the minimum weld size
length requirements.
* The connection shall be capable of withstanding a horizontal load equal to 10% of the
reaction of the joist.

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The joists may have their top and bottom chords connected to a column. Either the
top or bottom connection shall utilize a bolted connection.

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Bridging (Clause 16.7)

Bridging are members installed transverse to the span of the joist for stability purposes
of the web members in compression.
All bridging and bridging anchors shall be completely installed before any construction
loads, except the weight of the workers necessary to install them.

The joist manufacturer shall supply bridging that may be either of the diagonal or of
the horizontal type.

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Bridging of the cantilever joists

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Diagonal bridging
Diagonal bridging consisting of crossed members running from top chord to the
bottom chord of adjacent joists shall has a slenderness ratio, KL/r 200,
where L is the length of the diagonal bridging member or one-half of this length
when cross members are connected at their point of intersection
(K =1, r = the least radius of gyration).
All diagonal bridging shall be connected adequately to the joists by bolts or welds.

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Horizontal bridging
A line of horizontal bridging shall consist of a continuous member perpendicular
to the joist span attached to either the top chord or the bottom chord of each joist.
Horizontal bridging members shall have a slenderness ratio, KL/r 300.

Horizontal bridging connection to joist top chord

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Example:

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Horizontal bridging connection to joist web

Horizontal bridging connection to joist bottom chord

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Attachment and anchorage of bridging

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Attachment and anchorage of bridging

Attachment of diagonal and horizontal bridging to joist chords shall be by welding
or mechanical means capable of resisting an axial load at least 3 kN in the attached
bridging members.
Welds shall meet the minimum welding length requirements in S16-09.
Each line of bridging shall be adequately anchored at each end to concrete or
masonry wall or to the main component of the structure frame, if applicable., otherwise,
diagonal and horizontal bridging shall be provided in combination between adjacent
joists near the end of bridging lines.

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Bridging not
Connected to
Wall in this
direction

Bridging not
Connected to
Wall in this
direction

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Bridging spacing (Clause 16.7.9, 16 5.6.2)

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Bridging spacing (Clause 16.7.9, 16 5.6.2)

For joists with net uplift, a single line of bottom-chord bridging shall be provided
at each end of the joists near the first bottom chord points, unless the ends of the
bottom chord are otherwise restrained.
Diagonal or horizontal bridging shall be spaced so that the unsupported length of the
chord between bridging lines or between laterally supported ends of the joist and
adjacent bridging lines does not exceed:
(a) 170 r

for chords in compression,

(b) 240 r

for chords always in tension.

Where r is the applicable chord radius of gyration about its axis in the
plane of the web.

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 If ends of joists are not so anchored before deck is installed, the distance from the face
of the support to the nearest bridging member in the plane of the bottom chord shall
not exceed 120 r.
The maximum distance between bridging is 4 m.
If a single line of bridging is required, it shall be placed at the centre of the joist span.
If bridging is not used for joists of less than 4 m in span, the ends of the joists shall
be anchored to the supports so as to prevent overturning of the joist during placement
of the deck.

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TYPES OF LATERAL-LOAD RESISTING

SYSTEMS IN STEEL STRUTURES
1- Rigid frame (moment frame)
- Rigid frame has moment-resistant joints
- Continuity of frame assists in resisting gravity
loads more efficiently by reducing the positive
moments in the center span of girders
- It has an advantage of flexibility in architectural
planning
- The size of the members is controlled by stiffness
rather than strength to control lateral drift
- Rigid frame is efficient for buildings up to about
30- stories in height
- Rigid frame can approximately be analyzed using
either the cantilever method (total height/width > 1)
or the portal frame method
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2- Braced frame (trussed frame)

- Bracing members are added to at least one
panel and on each side of the building
- Girders are assumed simply supported elements
carrying only gravity loads and axial forces (tension
compression) from lateral loads
- Wind or earthquake forces are transmitted to
the braced panel through the girders
- Braced frame has an advantage of eliminating
bending moments on columns and girders from
lateral loads
- Braced frame is considered as cantilevered
vertical truss resisting lateral loads through
axial stiffness of columns and braces
- Braced frame is efficient for buildings 41
taller
than about 30-stories in height

Multi-storey construction with braced frames and

composite floors

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Loads on Structures:
Dead load: Self-weight of the structure (including weight of the
structural members, floors, ceiling, ductworks, exterior walls and
permanent partitions.
Live Load: includes floor loads specified by Building Codes for
various cases as well as snow loads on roofs. This also includes truck
loads on bridges.
Wind load: specified in Building Codes.
Earthquake loads: specified in building codes.

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Beam connection design forces:

Option 1:

Structural drawings state that beam connection is to be designed for a shear

corresponding to the uniform load flexural capacity for a laterally supported beam of
the same span and section.

Beam connection designed for shear

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Example:

For a simply supported W410x39 beam of 7.5 m length, determine the factored
shear force required to design the connection to a column.

Solution 1:
From CISC design tables for beams, page 5-98, Mr = 227 kN.m.

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Solution 2:
Use CISC design Tables, page 5.128 to obtain the total uniform factored load. Then, the
connection design force is half this value = 242 / 2 = 121 kN.

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Option 2:

If the beam has point loads applied, especially close to the end of the beam, the
structural drawing should state the connection design forces to be used by the
fabricator.

If the beam is continuous or with fixed end, the structural drawing should indicate
that the connection is carrying moment along with the design moment.

In lateral resisting frame structure and trusses, connection forces shall be included in
the drawings at the ultimate limit state.

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Option 3:

The structural drawings provide a table summarizing the specific loads at each joint
for each load type (dead, live, snow, wind, earthquake,etc.).

In this case, steel fabricators engineer is required to try different loading cases to
obtain the most critical forces for design.

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Load Factors and Load Combinations for Ultimate Limit States

Factored (ultimate) loads = Load factors specified loads

D = Dead load

L = Live load

S = Snow load

W = Wind load

E = Earthquake load

Note: Use counteracting factored dead load of 0.9 D in load combination cases 2, 3, and 4
when the dead load acts to resist overturning, uplift, sliding, failure due to stress reversal,
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and factored resistance of members.

The Importance Factor (I)

The specified snow, wind and earthquake loads shall be multiplied by the
Importance Factors (I) given below for the shown different importance
categories for buildings (which is based on building use and occupancy).

See NBCC 2010 for more details

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International System of Units (SI units)

Force:
Length:
Moment:
Strength or Stress:
KPa =

=
Pa

N (Newtons)
mm (millimeters)
N.mm
MPa (N/mm2)
1000 Pa (pascal)
N/m2

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Structural Steel
Actual Steel stress-strain relationship
Stress,
Stress

Fy = yield stress

Strain
Strain

Idealized relationship
used in design

Yield
strain

Strain at beginning
of strain hardening

Strain55at
ultimate stress

Structural steel in Canada

1- CAN/CSA G40.21 350W steel ( it is now the basic steel grade in
Canada; the 350W steel means a weldable steel of 350 MPa yield strength).
2- CAN/CSA G40.21 300W steel (It is no longer used in new construction
using rolled steel shapes; It has a yield strength of 300 MPa).
3- For steel angles, channels and plates produced in Canada, yield strength of
steel Fy = 300 MPa.
4- Coefficient of thermal expansion of steel = = 11.7x10-6 (page 7-64)

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Table: Typically available steel plate sizes

(It is advisable to obtain advice from local steel fabricators)

Plates are available in metric or imperial thicknesses, but preference

should be given to using imperial thicknesses due to their higher
availability (10 mm plate will often be 3/8 inch or 9.5 mm).
Plates are also available in 350W, but it is typical to design using 300W,
as this size is more frequently stocked and it is usually of no
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consequence if the higher strength plate is substituted.

Types of Structural Steel

Type W : Weldable Steel

Type WT : Weldable Notch Tough Steel
Type R : Atmospheric Corrosion-Resistance Steel
Type A : Atmospheric Corrosion-Resistance Weldable Steel
Type AT : Atmospheric Corrosion-Resistance Weldable
Notch Tough Steel
Type Q : Quenched and Tempered Low Alloy Steel Plate
Type QT :Quenched and Tempered Low Alloy Notch Tough
Steel Plate
Example:
350WT, 350AT, 350W, or 350R steel mean a steel with yield stress of 350 MPa.

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Page 3-9

0.8

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Resistance factor, :

Page 1-30

According to CAN/CSA-S16-09,
= 0.90
for structural steel
for tension-shear block failure
u = 0.75
for reinforcing steel bars
r = 0.85
c = 0.65
for concrete
for bolts
b = 0.8
for shear connectors and bolts
sc = 0.8
bi = 0.8
for beam web bearing, interior (see Clause 14.3.2)
be = 0.75
for beam web bearing, end (see Clause 14.3.2)
for bearing of bolts on steel
br= 0.8
w = 0.67
for weld metal
for anchor rods
ar = 0.67
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