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Plate 4.16 Base plate prior to grouting.

4.4 SUMMARY OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION

The following process is adopted in steel construction:
Install base plates on concrete footings. Typically, the base plate is
installed on shims. In addition, we learned that anchor bolts do not resist
vertical loads. Anchor bolts are there to resist horizontal loads and uplift
forces.
Erect columns on top of the base plates. In some cases, the base plate and
column is welded in the shop and arrive together.
Erect beams with few bolts. This is done by the connectors or the
connecting crew.
Install all the bolts. The bolting crew does this.
Weld connections where necessary.
Install the metal deck.
Provide rebars on the metal deck.
Concrete the metal deck.
Now let us discuss welding and bolting. Steel pieces are connected using
welds or bolts. In the past rivets were also used. Rivets are not capable of
resisting tensile forces and are no longer used.

4.5 WELDING
Welding is done for aircrafts, ships, bridges, and pipelines. The following
five joint types are commonly used. The terms joint and weld are used

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interchangeably in textbooks. For example, one textbook may use the term
lap joint while another book may call it a lap weld. Similarly, one book
may use butt joint and another one may say butt weld.
(1) Butt joints
(2) T-joints
(3) Lap joints
(4) Corner joints
(5) Edge joints

4.5.1 Butt Joints

Two members need to be welded are butted together. Hence, the joint is
known as a butt joint. In most cases, members to be welded are provided
with grooves.

Simple Butt Joint (No groove)

Butt joint with a V groove

(Known as V groove weld)

Butt joint with a J groove

(Known as J groove weld)

Butt joint with a U groove

(Known as U groove weld)

Butt joint with a double V groove

(Known as double V groove weld)

Butt joint with double U groove

(Known as double U groove weld)

Fig. 4.14 Butt joints.

Fig. 4.14: V groove butt weld (also a backer rod is used under the plates
for a better weld)
Fig. 4.14 shows a V groove weld.

4.5.2 T-Joints
T-joints are used when members are perpendicular to each other (Fig. 4.15).

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T joint without a groove

(Known as fillet weld)

T joint with double bevel

(Known as double bevel weld)

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T joint with a J groove

(Known as J groove weld)

T joint with double J groove

(Known as J groove weld)

Fig. 4.15 T-joints.

4.5.3 Lap Joints

When steel members are overlapped, lap joints are used (Fig. 4.16).

Fig. 4.16 Lap joints (also known as lap weld).

4.5.4 Corner Joints

Corner joints, as the name implies, are applied at the corners (Fig. 4.17).

Flush corner (no groove)

Flush corner with J groove outside

Fig. 4.17 Corner joints.

Half open corner (no groove)

Flush corner with bevel groove outside

Full open corner (no groove)

Flush corner with bevel groove inside

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Grooves can be J grooves, bevel grooves, U grooves or V grooves. These

grooves could be inside or outside as necessary.

4.5.5 Edge Joints

As the name implies, edge joints are applied at the edges (Fig. 4.18).
Some commonly used terms:

Edge joint (No groove)

Edge joint with bevel groove

Edge joint with a J groove

Edge joint with double J groove

Fig. 4.18 Edge joints.

4.5.6 Fillet Weld

Whenever there is no groove, such welds are called fillet welds. When there
is a groove present, it is called by its groove shape (Ex: J groove weld,
U groove weld, double U groove weld, etc.).
Fillet Weld Examples (Fig. 4.19):

Fillet weld

Fig. 4.19 Simple T joint with fillet welds.

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4.5.7 Seam Weld

When the seam of a pipe or any other object is welded, it is called seam weld.
Welding symbols: The following welding symbols are as per AWS
(American Welding Society). All the symbols are available on their website.
Fillet welds (no groove) (Fig. 4.20):

Fig. 4.20 Fillet weld (weld is on the side of the arrow).

The triangle represents the fillet weld. If the triangle is below the line it
means the weld is required only on the arrow side.

Fig. 4.21 Weld is required on opposite side of the arrow.

If the triangle is on top of the line, it means the weld is required on the
opposite side of the arrow, as shown in Fig. 4.21.
If two triangles are present, above and below the arrow line, both sides
have to be welded (Fig. 4.22).

Fig. 4.22 Welds are required on both sides.

4.5.8 Size of the Weld

It is necessary to indicate the size and length of welds as well.
Since the triangle is at the bottom, the weld is on the arrow side. The
number before the triangle (1/4) indicates the size of the weld. The size

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of the weld is the dimension on the side. Please see Fig. 4.23. If there is only
one size given, then both sides have the same size as in this case. The number
after the triangle (6) indicates the length of the weld. The symbol in Fig. 4.23
indicates that a fillet weld should be made on the arrow side with in. size
extending to a length of 6 in.

6 in.

in.

Fig. 4.23 Size of welds.

4.5.9 Size of the Weld Uneven

Side of the arrow: The symbol in Fig. 4.24 indicates that the weld should be
in. and in. on the side of the arrow to a length of 6 in. The question is
how would the welder know which side is in. and which side is in.?
Typically, the drawing would be prepared with the longer side drawn longer
as shown in Fig. 4.24. The vertical length of the triangle is drawn longer, so
that the welder would know in. weld is on the vertical side.

in.

Fig. 4.24 Size of welds uneven.

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Size of the weld uneven (weld on both sides) (Fig. 4.25):

3/8

1/4 4/5

3/8 5/8

4/5

1/4
5/8

Fig. 4.25 Size of welds uneven and welds on both sides.

Arrow side: Triangles on the top and bottom indicate welds on both sides.
A bottom triangle indicates the arrow side. The size of the weld on arrow side
is 3/8 and 5/8. Since the vertical edge of the triangle is drawn longer 5/8 weld
should be provided on the vertical leg. The length of the weld on the arrow side
is 6 in.
Other side: The weld on other side of the arrow is and 4/5 in. The
horizontal leg of the triangle is drawn longer. Hence, horizontal leg is
4/5 in. and vertical leg is in. The length of the weld is 8 in.

4.5.10 V Groove Weld Symbol

The V groove symbol is placed below the arrow. This indicates that the weld
is on the side of the arrow. The depth of the groove is in. and the angle of
the groove is 100 degrees (Fig. 4.26).

100
in.

Fig. 4.26 V groove welds.

60

100
100

in.

60

in.

Fig. 4.27 V groove welds on top and bottom.

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Arrow side: The V groove is in. deep and has an angle of 100 degrees on
arrow side (in this case top, Fig. 4.27).
Opposite of the arrow: The V groove is in. thick and has an angle of
60 degrees (in this case bottom, Fig. 4.27).

4.5.11 Square Weld

Above first number is the base dimension of the square. The second number
is the thickness or the height of the weld (Fig. 4.28).

in.

Fig. 4.28 Square weld.

Note: Complete coverage of the subject of welding is beyond this book.

This book will provide you with background information to further
improve your knowledge. The AWS website is a very good reference source
for welding.

4.5.12 Weld Testing

Welding defects are observed by obtaining X-ray photographs. Typical
welding defects are:
incomplete penetration
incomplete fusion
porosity and longitudinal cracking.

4.5.13 Weld Material Weight

The cost of welding is dependent on the amount of weld material deposited.
Weld material alone is not the best way to assess the cost of welding. Welding on the 10th story of a building is not the same as welding in ground floor.
Also welding above ones head is more difficult than welding at hand level.
Other factors such as type of weld and the complexity of the weld also affects
the cost of welding.

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Computation of weld material quantity is still important.

Practice Problem 4.1
Find the weight of the weld material deposited in the weld shown. The
weld is 15 ft long. The weight of weld material is 0.283 lbs/cu in. (Fig. 4.29).

1/4
1/4
1/4

Fig. 4.29 Weight of material in a weld.

Solution
1 1 1
Volume of deposited material in cuin:


15
12 5:625cuin:
2 4 4
Weight of deposited material 0:283
5:625 1:59lbs

4.6 BOLTS
Steel beams and columns can be connected using bolts. Let us look at parts of
a bolt.

4.6.1 Parts of a Bolt

Assume two plates need to be connected using a bolt. Insert the bolt and
tighten with the nut. Rotation occurs on the nut side (Fig. 4.30).
Nut

Plates to be connected

Threads

Bolt head
Washers

Fig. 4.30 Elements of a bolt.