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connections

Wouldyouallowweldedsplice(bothflangesandweb)atthe
Whetherwewouldpermitsuchaconnectionconfigurationwoulddepend
samelocation(PJP)(splicingisdonewithoutoffsettingfor
onthemagnitudeoftheload,sizeofthememberandsizeofthePJPweld.
fabricatonease,fitupandsimplicity)?

connections

AISCdoesnothaveanyprohibitionsagainstthespecificationofdouble
Isitpermissibletospecifydoublenutsforhighstrengthbolts
nuts.However,theavailablethreadlengthonstructuralfastenersis
fordyanamicloadapplicationns(crane,machinery)?Thisisto
typicallylessthanthethicknessof2heavyhexnuts.Thismaybea
ensurethatboltsdonotgetloosened.
considerationwhenselectingnuts.

connections

Oneboltsizeisusuallyusedforthemajorityofconnections.(Most
fabricatorsuseeither3/4"or7/8"diameterboltsastheirstandardbolt.)A
Howdoesmultipleboltsizesimproveeconomyversususing
secondboltsize(atleasttwosizeslargertoavoidmixupinthefield)is
onlyonesizeboltfortheprimaryconnections?Doesthis
oftenusedforconnectionswithveryheavyreactions.Bottomline:Allow
applyfor1,2or3storybuildings?
thefabricatortoselectthebolttypeandsizethattheyfindtobemost
economical.

connections

Doespretensionmeanssnugtight?

No.Snugtightisthebasicinstallationmethodforconnectionsusinghigh
strengthbolts.Pretensioningofboltsisrequiredforconnectionsspecified
aspretensionsedorslipcritical.RCSCSpecificationSections4.2and4.3list
applicationsthatrequirepretensionedandslipcriticalconnections,
respectively.AISCSpecificationSectionJ1.10listsapplicationswhere
pretensionedconnectionsarerequired.

connections

Wherearetheminimumgagerequirementsgivenbasedon
boltsizes?

WorkablegageforWshapesislistedinAISCManualTable11andthose
foranglesarelistedinTable17a.

connections

Doyousuggesttouseanyparticularsoftwaretodesignthe
connections?

Weprimarilyusespreadsheetswritteninhouseforconnectiondesign.

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connections
(SSL)

QUESTION

ANSWER

Iftheboltsarepretensioned(asisrequiredbyAISC36010forbuildings
Tip#8Iseetheuseofsnugtightshortslottedholesmore
tallerthan125')thenyouwillgetsomeslipresistanceparalleltotheslot
andmore.Idon'tlikeitfromthefactthatyoudon'tgeta
whichwillhelpthebeamsbracethecolumns.Thefloorslabaswellas
minimumamountofaxialcapacityoutoftheconnectionand
membersframingperpendiculartothedirectionofcolumnbucklingwill
possiblyarenotbracingthecolumnoutofplane.Agree?
alsohelpbracethecolumns.

connections
(SSL)

Onslides1820,tip#5forSSLholes,boltsmusthavetobe
pretensionnedandonpage23,tip#8,itispossibletouse
snugtight.Whatisthediffeencebetweenthe2notations?

AISC36010,SectionJ1.10specifiessituationswherepretensionedbolts
MUSTbeused.RCSCSections4.2and4.3addressesjointsthatare
requiredtobePTorSC.Theintentoftip#5wastoillustratethatbearing
boltshearstrengthvaluescanusuallybeusedwhenSSLholeswithloads
perpendiculartotheslotorStandardsizeholesareused,butthatthese
boltsmay,incertainsituationshavetobepretensioned.Whenthe
situationslistedinSectionJ1.10arenotapplicable,thensnugtightbolts
canbeused.Bearingboltshearstrengthvaluesarethesameforbothpre
tensionedboltsandsnugtightenedbolts.

connections
(SSL)

Oftenmostorallperimeterroofbeamsareeitherdiaphragm
chordsordragstruts.Theycarrysignificantaxialload,in
additiontoverticalshear.IsitappropriatetouseSSLholes
withbearingboltsinthiscase?Won'ttheaccumulated
deflectionandimpactastheboltsmoveintheslotsbe
detrimentaltostructureperformanceunderlateralload?

ThisisanengineeringjudgementdecisionthattheEORmustmake.
Specifyingthatthebeamtocolumnconnectionsbedetailedwithpre
tensionedboltsandSSLholesmaybeappropriate.Pretensionedboltswill
offersomeslipresistance.Attheotherextreme,ifthediaphragmchord
forcesaresubstantial,thenrelyingonshearconnectionsalonetoresist
axialforcesmaybeinappropriate.Insuchsituationsslipcriticalbolted
connectionsmaybeappropriateiftheforcesaresubstantial.

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12

QUESTION

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connections

PersonallyI'malwaysafraidtoconnectabeamtotheflange Manysteelframedbuildingshavebeensuccessfullyconstructedwith
ofcolumns.SoIaddaTee,exactlywhatyoustatenottodo beamsframingtocolumnflangesusingavarietyofconnections.Iknowof
becausetheconnectionwouldbemoreexpensive.
noproblemsoccuringduetosuchconnections.

connections

ThemessagethatIwastryingtoconveywasthatapproximately50%of
thecostofasteelstructureisrelatedinonewayoranothertothe
Youstatedthat50%costofsteelisinconnectionwhich
connectionsthusconnectioncostisasubstantialpercentageofthetotal
appearstobehigh.Regardless,itisunlikelythatthe
cost.Eachfabricatorhastheirownmethodofdeterminingtheirbidprice.
contractorpricesthesteelstructureseparately,thecostof
Somemayuseanaveragecostperton.Thatcostincludescostsassociated
mainmembersandconnectionspriortothebidding.Isitnot
withtheconnections.Thecostthatfabricatorsassociatewithconnections
truethatthecontractorpricessteelbasedontonnagewith
isnotarbitrary.Itisonebaseduponexperience.Projectswithmanysmall
certainpercentageforconnectionarbitrarilydeterminedby
membersandmanyconnectionswillcostmorepertonthanprojectswith
previousexperience?
fewermembers,heaviermembersandfewerconnections.Fabricatorsdo
notpriceprojectsbasedupontonnagealone.

connections

IamnotsurethatIunderstandyourquestion.Youmentionone
considerationthatresultsfromOSHAregulations.TherewasaMay2001
ArethereanyOSHAregulationsthatimpactbolted
ModernSteelConstructionarticlethatsummarizedtheOSHAregulations.
connectiondesignsuchastheuseofsinglesidedconnections
Youcanfindithere:
orconnectionsthatsharethesamebolts?
http://www.modernsteel.com/Uploads/Issues/May_2001/0105_02_OSHA
.pdf.Pleasesendanyadditionalquestionstosolutions@aisc.org

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14

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16

QUESTION

ANSWER

connections

Whatisthecutoffbetweenafullpenweldandfilletweld
(economically)?

Differentfabricatorsmayhavedifferentresponsestothisquestion.The
answerwillalsovarydependingonthethicknessoftheelementbeing
welded.Wehavedesignedfilletweldsasbigas3/4"ratherthanuse
groovewelds.Theadvantageoffilletweldsisthattheyrequireno
preparationorbevelingoftheelementstobewelded.Chapter14ofAISC
DesignGuide21discussesaspectsofweldingeconomy.Itdoesnotgivea
cutoff,butprovidesdiscussionofthingsthatcanaffecttheeconomyof
CJP,PJPandfilletwelds.

connections

Whataboutspecifyingshopweldingandfieldboltingfor
connection?Goodidea?

Weleavethisdecisiononwhethertoboltorwelduptothefabricator.
Someshopsaresetupprimarilyforwelding.Othershopsaresetup
primarilyforbolting.

connections

Don'tfabricatorsroutinelyconsiderincreasingthemember
sizestosimplifytheconnections?

Fabricatorsmayoccasionallyrequesttoincreaseabeamsizetofacilitatea
connectiondetail,howevertomyknowledge,thispracticeisrare.Itisbest
thattheEORconsiderduringdesignwhetheramembershouldbe
increasedinsizetosimplifytheconnections.

connections

Youarecorrect.AllthingsequalIwouldorientthecolumnssothatthe
girdersframetotheflanges.Iprobablyshouldhaveturnedthecolumnsin
FYI:thesketchinTip#38hasthecolumnsoriented90
thatillustration.Thatsaid,girderconnectionstocolumnwebsarenot
degreesfromtherecommendationinTip#10.Pleaseclarify.
uncommon.Theintentofslide#38wastodiscussthebenefitsof
increasingslabspantoreducethenumberofbeams.

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18

partialrestr.
Connections

partialrestr.
connections

19 constructability

20

delegation

QUESTION

ANSWER

Canpracticingengineersdesignsemirigidconnections?If
yes,howandtowhatdegreeoffixedconnections?

ThisisthepaperonpartiallyrestrainedbeamsthatMr.Schwingerwas
referringto:EngineeringJournal:ASimplifiedLookatPartiallyRestrained
BeamsbyLouisF.Geschwindner.http://www.aisc.org/store/p808a
simplifiedlookatpartiallyrestrainedbeams.aspx.Aswell,pleasecheck
outthisrecordedpresentationbyDr.Geschwindneraswell.Freetoview.
http://www.aisc.org/content.aspx?id=19860

WhatpaperdidyoujustmentionwrittenbyDr.
Geschwindner?HowcanIretrievethatpaper?

ThisisthepaperonpartiallyrestrainedbeamsthatMr.Schwingerwas
referringto:EngineeringJournal:ASimplifiedLookatPartiallyRestrained
BeamsbyLouisF.Geschwindner.http://www.aisc.org/store/p808a
simplifiedlookatpartiallyrestrainedbeams.aspx.Aswell,pleasecheck
outthisrecordedpresentationbyDr.Geschwindneraswell.Freetoview.
http://www.aisc.org/content.aspx?id=19860

Isthereanystatisticalmethodtoderivecontructabilityfactor
Iamnotawareofanysuchstatisticalanalysis.
orinotherwordscostbenefitanalysis?

Doyouadvocatedelegationofordinaryconnectionstothe
fabricator?

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Yes.Themajorityofconnectionsinsteelframedbuildingsarestandard
shearconnections.Thebulkoftheconnectioncostisintheseordinary
connections.ItisthereforebestfortheEORtoshowthereactionsand
permitthefabricatortodesignanddetailtheirpreferred(most
economical)connection.

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Youarecorrect.Fortunatelyconnectiondesignerusuallyonlyneedsto
knowthemaximummomentwhentheEORdetermineswhethercolumn
stiffenersorwebdoublerplatesarerequired(astheyshouldperAISC303
10).Theproblemoccurswhenengineersrequireconnectiondesignersto
usethefullmemberstrengthtodesignmomentconnectionsandwhen
Providingloadsforallloadcasesformomentconnectionscan theyrequiretheconnectionstobedesignedtoaccomodatethemoments
actinginanydirectionfordeterminingifstiffenersordoublerplatesare
delegation getquitelengthy.Whendelegatingmomentconnection
21
(momentconn) design,whatisthemostefficientwaytoconveythedesign required.IftheEORisgoingtorequiretheconnectiondesignertocheckif
loads?
stiffenersanddoublersarerequired(notrecommended)thentheymust
providetheindividualdead,live,windandseismicmomentssothatthe
connectiondesignercancheckthevariousloadcombinations.Thisisalot
ofworkforboththeEORaswellastheconnectiondesigner.Theextra
workcanbeavoidediftheEORdeterminesifstiffenersanddoublerplates
arerequired(andsizesthemaccordinglyiftheyarerequired).

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IsitstandardforEOR'stodelegatemomentconnection
delegation design,whentheconfigurationand/orbehaviorofthat
22
(momentconn) connectioncandirectlyimpactthesize/performanceofthe
membersbeingjoined...?

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ANSWER

Whenmomentconnectiondesignisdelegatedtothefabricator's
connectiondesignengineer,theEORmustprovideanylimitationsand
restrictionspertainingtotheconnectiondesignsothatthestructural
framingwillperforminthemannerexpectedbytheEOR.Ifacertaintype
ofmomentconnectionisnotacceptabletotheEOR,thenthatinformation
mustbeconveyedtotheconnectiondesigner.ForexampleiftheEOR
requiresthatmomentconnectionsbefullyrigidconnections(versussemi
rigid),thenthatrequirementmustbeexplicitlystated.If,forexamplethe
EORwantsendplatemomentconnectionsatbeamtocolumn
connections,thenthatrequirementmustbeexplicitlystated.Ifflange
boltedmomentconnectionsmightbeused,thentheEORmustmakesure
thattheholesinthebeamflangesattheconnectionswillnotreducethe
availablememberstrengthandifitmightbeanissue,thentheEORmust
specifyamaximumpermittedboltdiameter,etc.ortheEORmustmake
certainthattheflangesaresufficientlywidesothatstrengthatthenet
section(attheholes)willnotbethelimitstateforbeamflexuralstrength.

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QUESTION

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delegation

IsitcommonfortheEORtodelegatethedesignofspecial
connectionstothefabricatorwithoutspecifyingtheactual
designforces?Saythedesigndead,liveandwindloadsare
onlyspecifiedonthedrawings.

TheAISCCodeofStandardPractice(COSP)requiresthatthedesignated
representativefordesign shallprovideDataconcerningtheloads,
includingshears,moments,axialforcesandtransferforces,thataretobe
resistedbytheindividualmembersandtheirconnections ,sufficientto
allowtheselection,completion,ordesignoftheconnection detailswhile
preparingtheshop anderectiondrawings .Itdoesnotgetinto
particularsabouthowthismustbedone.Ifconnectiondesignisbeing
delegatedtobedesignedbyanengineerworkingforthefabricator,thenit
isacceptablefortheconnectionengineertobeexpectedtocalculateload
combinationsbasedonloadcasesgiveninthecontractdocuments.If
connectionsaredelegatedtobe"selected"connectionsanddonot
requirealicensedengineerprovidingasealeddesign,itisnotappropriate
forthefabricator/detailertobeexpectedtocalculateloadsperASCE7.

delegation

Thereare3optionsgivenintheAISCCodeofStandardPracticeSection
3.1.2:(1)Thecompleteconnectiondesignshallbeshowninthestructural
designdrawings,(2)Inthestructuraldesigndrawingsorspecifications,
theconnectionshallbedesignatedtobeselectedorcompletedbyan
For"Delegatedconnectiondesign"option,isitacceptableif
experiencedsteeldetailer,or(3)Inthestructuraldesigndrawingsor
thefabricatorisprovidingconnectionwithoutusingthe
specifications,theconnectionshallbedesignatedtobedesignedbya
servicesofaprofessionalengineer?
licensedprofessionalengineerworkingforthefabricator.Inoption(2),the
"selection"ofaconnectionfromprovidedorspecifiedtablesdoesnot
requirealicensedengineer.Initem(3)thedesignofconnectionsdoes
requirealicensedengineer.

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delegation

QUESTION
ANSWER
Howdoyoufactorincontractor/erectorcompetence?For
examplewiththeboltsallbeingthesamesize,Iseethisbeing
SpecifyinganAISCCertifiedcompanywillensurethatthefabricatorand
donebysomeengineerstoensuretherightpartsareusedin
erectorhaveacomprehensiveQA/QCprogram.
therightplaces.Orevenswitchingbetweenboltsteel
grades.

Iamnotanattorney,soIdonotknowthelegalanswertothisquestion.
Sufficetosaythateveryonewillbesuedifthereisastructuralfailure.In
myopinion,delegatingconnectiondesigndoesnotrelievetheEORof
ultimateresponsibilityforproperlydesigningthestructure(includingthe
connections).Whendelegatingconnectiondesign,theEORmustfollowa
standardofcaretoinsurethattheconnectionswereproperlydesignedby
thefabricator'sconnectiondesignengineer.Structuralfailuresarealmost
nevertheresultofoneerror.Itistypicallyaseriesoferrorsthatleadstoa
failure.

delegation

Ifconnectiondesignisdelegatedandthereisafailure,who
getssued?

delegation

Yoursugggestionisbothpracticalandisagoodidea.Werequire
Howpracticalisittorequirethedelegatedconnectiondesign fabricatorstoindicateboththerequiredconnectionstrength(shownon
engineertoindicatethecapacityoftheconnectionprovided thedrawings)andtheprovidedconnectionstrength(computedbythe
foreachconnectiononeachbeamonthepiecesheetsofthe fabricator'sconnectiondesignengineer)adjacenttoeachconnectionon
thepiecedrawings.Mostfabricatorscanaccommodatethisrequirement
shopdrawings?
withtheirdetailingsoftware.

delegation

Ifyoudohavedrawingswiththesenotes,howdoesa
fabricatorrequestreactions,requestsinglesided
connections,etc.,totheEOR?

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TheEORmustfollowthetheproceduresoutlinedinAISC30310,Section
3.1.2.indicatingthereactionsonthedrawingsandstatinganyspecific
restrictionsregardingconnectiondesign.Ifnorestrictionsarestated,then
thefabricatorisfreetoprovideanytypeofshearconnectiontheydesire.

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29

delegation

QUESTION

ANSWER

Itdependsonwhatisspecifiedinthecontractdocuments.Thisis
discussedintheCommentarytoAISCCodeofStandardPracticeSection
3.1.2,whichstates,"Theownersdesignatedrepresentativefordesign
mayrequirethatthesubstantiatingconnectioninformationbesignedand
sealedforoption(3).Thesigningandsealingofthecoverletter
Whencontractordesignstheconnections,isheexpectedto transmittingtheshopanderectiondrawingsandsubstantiating
haveaconnectiondesignengineerstamptheshopdrawings connectioninformationmaysuffice.Thissigningandsealingindicatesthat
andcalculationsandsubmitthemtotheengineerofrecord? aprofessionalengineerperformedtheworkbutdoesnotreplacethe
approvalprocessprovidedinSection4.4.Arequirementtosignandseal
eachsheetoftheshopanderectiondrawingsisdiscouragedasitmay
servetoconfusethedesignresponsibilitybetweentheownersdesignated
representativefordesignandthelicensedprofessionalengineersworkin
performingtheconnectiondesign."

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31

QUESTION

ANSWER

delegation

TheEORmustprovidesufficientinformationtopermittheconnection
designengineertoconsiderthefullenvelopeofloadsforwhich
connectionsaresubjected.Whenaconnectiondesignisgovernedonlyby
Wouldyoudiscussaxialloadsyouhavementionedinlaterally themaximumvalueoftheload,thentheEORneedsonlytoprovidethat
loadedframesversusgravityloadingonly?Canyoudiscuss maximumvalue.Whenaconnectiondesignmaybeinfluencedbyloads
howthese,alongwithshearandmomentloadsareshownon actingindifferentdirectionsthentheEORmustprovidethemaximumand
drawings?Doyouhaveagoodexampleofthis?
minimumshears,momentsoraxialloadsactingontheconnection.Most
connectionsaregovernedonlybythemaximumloadsapplied.Forthose
membersforwhichconnectiondesignmaybeaffectedbymaximumor
minimumloads,bothvaluesshouldbeindicated.

delegation

Thereare3optionsgivenintheAISCCodeofStandardPracticeSection
3.1.2:(1)Thecompleteconnectiondesignshallbeshowninthestructural
designdrawings,(2)Inthestructuraldesigndrawingsorspecifications,
theconnectionshallbedesignatedtobeselectedorcompletedbyan
experiencedsteeldetailer,or(3)Inthestructuraldesigndrawingsor
specifications,theconnectionshallbedesignatedtobedesignedbya
licensedprofessionalengineerworkingforthefabricator.Inoption(2),the
"selection"ofaconnectionfromprovidedorspecifiedtablesdoesnot
requirealicensedengineer.Initem(3)thedesignofconnectionsdoes
requirealicensedengineer.

For"Delegatedconnectiondesign"optionisitacceptableif
thefabricatorisprovidingconnectionswithoutusingthe
servicesofaprofessionalengineer?

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32

33

34

35

QUESTION

ANSWER

delegation

Ifwearedelegatingconnectiondesigntothefabricator's
engineer,howarewesupposedtoavoidtheneedfor
stiffeneranddoublerplates.Seemsliketheissuewillbe
discoveredtoolateinordertoavoidthesecostly
connections.

TheneedforstiffenersshouldbeinvestigatedbytheEORduringdesign
(beforethedrawingsareissuedforbid).Somedesignandanalysis
softwarehastheabilitytoanalyzeandsizecolumnssothatstiffenersare
notrequired.Manualcalcualationstoinvestigateifstiffenersarerequired
canbefacilitatedusinginformationprovidedinTable41intheAISCSteel
ConstructionManual.

delegation

Idisagree.AllengineeringfirmsshouldhaveaninhouseQualityAssurance
processtoreducethelikelihoodofmistakes.Specifyingthatconnections
bedesignedforstrengthsfarinexcessoftheactualreactionsiswasteful
Whenalltheconnectionsaredeligatedtofabricator,weneed
andusuallynotinthebestinterestoftheowner.Engineeringfirmsshould
toprovidethereactionsforeachandeveryconnections.
strivetoestablishfeesthatwillallowthemtoproduceefficientdesigns
ThereforeIbelievethat,itmayleadtomoremistakes.Do
withsufficienttimetoproducehighqualitycontractdocumentsthathave
youagree?
beencheckedandreviewedformistakes.Theadditionalcosttotheowner
forproducinghighqualitystructuraldrawingswillbelessthanthecostof
providingoversizedconnections.

details

Irecentlyhadaproblemwithmycolumncapsplatesbeinga
problemforbeamerectionduetosomeosharequirements.
Arecolumncapsplatesnecessaryforanythingotherthan
Columncapplatesmaynotalwaysbenecessary.
decksupportandwhatareothersdoingtosupportdeckat
columnsifcapplatesareaproblem?

Asastructuralengineerwouldyouallowunitycheckof1.03
generaldesign (Loads/Capacity)sincecalculationsaredoneusingcomputers Iwouldstrivetokeepthestrengthratioto1.0orless.
veryprecisely?

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36

37

38

39

QUESTION

ANSWER

Thedesignprocessisoftenafluidoneanddesignloadsareoccasionally
Dodesignloadsalwaysremainconstant?Itseemstomethat revisedduringthedesignprocess.Hencetheneedforstructuralengineers
generaldesign thedesignloadsoftenchangewiththedesignprogressand tobeproactiveincommunicatingwiththeirclientsandotherconsultants.
engineer/architectcontinuedinteraction.
Documentalldecisionsregardingtheagreedupdesignloads,sothatif
theylaterchangethedesigncanberevisedaccordingly.

HSS

Indesigningtubetotubeconnectionswithheaviermoments,
shouldtheEORidentifyneededlocationforinteriortube
Yes.AISC30310requirestheEORtodeterminethelocationsandsizesof
stiffenerstoatleastenablereasonablebiddingsincetheEOR columnstiffeners.
controlsmembersize(ieoptionstoavoidinteriorstiffeners)
No.Theoptimalspan/depthratioforatrussisabout10.Thedecisionon
whethertouseatrussversusaplategirderdependsontheavailable
structuredepth,coordinationissueswithMEPsystemsandcost
considerations.Thedecisionofwhetherornottouseplategirdersversus
trussesisnotadecisiontobemadebytheEORalone.

members

Doyouhavearuleofthumbforwhentouseadeepbeam
insteadofafabricatedtruss?

members

Therearemanyvariablestobeconsideredwhenselectingtheoptimal
floorframingsystem.Issuessuchasfireratings,ceilingconstruction,
vibrationcriteria,availabilityofmaterials,availablestructuredepth,future
Forsupportingslabs,beamsoropenwebsteeljoists?Which
flexibility,foundationloads,siesmicloads,mechanicalsystemsabovethe
isbetter?
ceiling,andsoundtransmissionarebutsomeofthevariablesthatmay
affectthedecisiontogowithjoistsversuscompositebeams.Thereare
advantagesanddisadvantagestoallsystems.

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41

42

members

members

R=3

QUESTION

ANSWER

Intip#38spacingthebeamssavecostonsteelbutwhat
aboutthecostoftheextraconcreteduetotheadded
thickness?Isitstillmoreefficientthisway?

Wefindthatitisoftenmostcostefficienttothickentheslabonmetal
deckinordertoincreasetheslabspanandreducethenumberofbeams.
Thethickenedslabisaccomplishedbyusingdeeperfloordeck.Increasing
thedeckfrom1.5"to3"addstheequivalentofonly0.75"ofadditonal
slabthickness.Exceptionstothisruleofthumbmaybeinbuildingswhere
thestructuredepthmustbeminimizedtotheabsolutemimimumand
structureswherefloorsarebeingaddedontopofexistingbuildingsand
thestructureselfweightmustbeminimized.

Doestip#38applytosteeltrusseswithsteeldeck?

Notnecessarily.Thedecisionwhethertousecloselyspacedjoistswitha
thinslab,versuscompositebeamssupportingathickerslabisnotoneto
bemadebytheEORalone.Variablessuchasjoistcost,vibration
considerations,structuredepth,mechanicalsystemsandfireratingissues
mayinfluencedeterminationofthemostappropriatefloorframing
system.

Inhighseismiczones,isitallowabletodesignateabraced
frameas"R=3"anddesignforthehigherforcesbutsaveon
overstrengthconnections,etc?Whereisthatcode
reference?Thanks.

ASCE7Table12.21listssystemsallowedinvariousseismicdesign
categories.SystemHinthistable(theR=3system)isnotpermittedinSDC
D,EorF.

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ANSWER

43

R=3

WhatRcanbeusedforhighseismicapplicationsinorderto
avoidspecialconnectionandmemberdesignprovisions?

InseismicdesigncategoriesBorC,SystemHinASCE7table12.21(the
R=3)systemwillhavetheleastdetailingrequirements.InSeismicDesign
CategoriesD,EandF,theleastamountofseismicdetailingisassociated
withthe"ordinary"systems.However,therearemanyrestrictionson
theiruse(suchasheight).TypicallythereisnotanadvantagetoIMFover
SMFinseismiccontrolledsystemsbecausetheconnectionrequirements
arenearlyidentical.

44

R=3

Whywouldanyonedesign"Ordinary"seismicframeswhen
"R=3"doesnotresultinsignificantlyhigherseismicforces
(R=3versusR=3.25or3.5)?

BecauseR=3systemsarenotpermittedinseismicdesigncategoriesD,E
orFbyASCE7Table12.21.

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R=3

WhatsectionofASCE7orAISC341permitsR=3foranOMF?

R=3isnotallowedforanOMF.Rfactorsandlimitationsonsystemusage
arefoundinASCE7Table12.21.

R=3

EvenifyoudesignarbitrailyforR=3forseismicdesign
categoriesD,EandF,don'tyouhavetodetailthe
connectionsperhighseismicriskdesigndetailprocedures.?

TheR=3system(SystemHinASCE7Table12.21)isnotpermittedin
seismicdesigncategoriesD,EandF.IntheseSDC'stheappropriateR
factor,designanddetailingrequirementsarethoseassociatedwiththe
systembeingused.

R=3

YoumentionedyoucanuseanRof3forbracedframes.
WheredoesASCE7allowthis?

ASCE7Table12.21systemH(R=3system).ItreferstoASCE7Section
14.1fordetailingrequirements.ThelastsentenceofASCE7Section14.1.2
allowstheuseofsystemHwithoutAISC341.

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