Beam to column-web moment connection

PROKON has several steel connection design modules. They can be grouped in two distinct classes — shear and moment connections. Shear connections have the ability to transfer axial force and shear. Moment connections have the ability to transfer axial force, shear, and moments.

Beam Column can design various configurations of beam to column moment connections. These connections must involve I and H-sections exclusively. The connection can be welded or bolted. Stiffening plates may be added for additional stiffness. These connection must be strong-axis moment connections; that is, beams that attach to the flange of the column and not the web.

This is because the moment in an I-section is assumed to be resisted by the flanges, while the web resists the shear. What’s more, the moment resistance of an I-section reduces vastly from the strong axis to the weak one. For this reason, PROKON only allows for a beam to column connection where the column and beam are bent about their strong axes.

A beam connected to the web of a column is typically considered a pinned connection (i.e. zero moment at the connection). The connection can then be designed as a shear connection with one of the shear connection design modules. It is important that the end fixities of members modelled in Sumo correspond to the design assumptions.

Note: Weak axis moment connections are sometimes made where the flange attaches to the web of a column. These rely on extra plates that transfer the forces in the flanges of the beam to the column. At the time of writing these types are not supported in PROKON.