Double Angle Welded connections are used to connect steel beams to columns or girders. VAConnect is capable of designing these connections to support coped beams and to resist shear loads.

Design Considerations

Connection Eccentricity

Double Angle Welded connections are checked per the AISC Steel Construction Manual Part 10 (16th Edition) and AISC 360-22 design specifications. In accordance with AISC part 10, the eccentricity on the supported side of the double-angle connection (i.e. the beam side) is always considered since the double angles are welded to the beam. Furthermore, VAConnect accounts for the weld eccentricity on the supporting side of the double-angle connection (i.e. the support side). VAConnect accounts for eccentrically loaded weld groups using the Instantaneous Center of Rotation method to determine the eccentric weld group capacity and for the base metal checks. The “C” coefficients for both eccentrically loaded weld groups (i.e. the beam weld and the support weld) are included in the detailed reports. This connection closely follows Example II.A-3 of the AISC Design Examples Version 16.0.

VAConnect assumes that the pin (which allows for rotational ductility) occurs at the face of the support. Therefore, eccentricity at the faying surface of the double angles and the support is not considered. VAConnect limits the maximum thickness of the double angle connection to 5/8 inches to allow for flexibility in the connection. While VAConnect allows welding along the bottom of the double angles, it does not allow for welding along the top as welding across the entire top of the angels inhibits the flexibility and necessary end rotation of the connection, according to the AISC Steel Construction Manual Part 10.

Combined Forces

VAConnect does not allow double angles welded to the support to be loaded with axial force. According to the AISC Steel Construction Manual Part 12 (16th Edition), double angle connections with welds on the outstanding legs provide minimal strength to resist axial loads due to the flexural loading that is applied about the longitudinal axis of theses welds.

Coped Beams

Beams coped at one or both flanges are checked per the AISC Steel Construction Manual Part 9 (16th Edition) and AISC 360-22 design specifications.

Limit States

VAConnect checks the following limit states for Double Angle Welded Connections (refer to the program’s detailed reports for specific code references):

• Support Welds
  • Fillet Weld - 2L @ Support
  • Base Metal - 2L @ Support
  • Base Metal - Support
• Beam Welds
  • Fillet Weld - 2L @ Beam
  • Base Metal - 2L @ Beam
  • Base Metal - Beam Web
  • Block Shear - Beam Web
• Double Angle
  • Shear Yield - 2L @ Beam
  • Flexural Yielding/Buckling - 2L @ Beam
  • Yielding/Buckling Interaction - 2L @ Beam
  • Shear Rupture- 2L @ Beam
  • Flexural Rupture - 2L @ Beam
  • Rupture Interaction - 2L @ Beam
• Beam
  • Shear Yield
  • Flexural Yielding/Buckling
  • Yielding/Buckling Interaction
  • Shear Rupture
  • Flexural Rupture
  • Rupture Interaction
• Connection Detailing
  • Double angle maximum length
  • Maximum angle thickness
  • Fillet weld maximum and minimum size

Limitations

• Permitted beam shapes: I-Beams and Channels
• Permitted supporting member shapes: I-Beams, Channels, HSS, Pipe, Rectangle, or Round. The support member is only limited when importing from VisualAnalysis.
• The support element is only considered as far as it affects the weld design (e.g. base metal check at the support)
• The eccentricity at the faying surface of the double angles and the support is not considered as the pin which allows for rotational ductility is assumed to occur at the face of the support
• Beam is nearly perpendicular to the column or girder
• A single member framing into a support column or girder
• Single coped channels are not supported
• Only shear forces in the plane of the connection can be checked
• When an unrecognized beam is imported from VisualAnalysis, the beam’s T dimension is assumed to be the depth minus twice the flange thickness (i.e. the fillets are neglected)