Checks a single plate welded to the web of another beam or to a column and bolted to the beam web, carrying a shear force, to SIA 263:2013: the bolts, the beam web, the plate and its welds, with the hinge at the bolts. Every step shows its formula and the clause it comes from.
What it checks
- The bolts: one shear plane resists Fv,Rd = 0.6 · fub,k · A/γM2, equation (75), with the hole d0 of table 17. The welds are far stiffer than the bolts, so the joint rotates at the bolts: each takes Fv,Ed = VEd/n, with n = nc · nr, and nothing more.
- Bearing, equation (76): 0.85 · (e/d0) · fu,k · d · t/γM2 ≤ 2.4 · fu,k · d · t/γM2, on the plate with e the smaller of the vertical edge distance and ex,p, and on the beam web with e = ex,b.
- Beam web, net section in shear, equation (82): Av,net = Av − nr · d0 · tw, with Av from equation (42a) (clause 5.1.4.3).
- Eccentricity: e = (nc − 1) · p2/2 + ex,b + g + lh, from the centroid of the bolts to the vertical weld at the end of the plate. The eccentricity loads the plate and its welds instead of the bolts.
- The plate in shear and bending, Mp,Ed ≤ Mpl,V,Rd where it leaves the welded member: τ = VEd/(tp · hp) spread over the whole depth, fy,r = √(fy,k² − 3τ²) and Mpl,V,Rd = fy,r · tp · hp²/4/γM1.
- The plate, net section in shear, equation (82): Av,net = (hp − nr · d0) · tp.
- The welds: Fw,Rd per unit length, the smaller of the throat, a · 0.6 · fuE/γM2, and the contact section, a · √2 · 0.8 · fy,k/γM2, equation (88). The vertical weld carries VEd over hp; the two horizontal welds carry the moment as a couple, VEd · e/hp on each edge over lh, equation (87).
- Placing of the holes: e1, e2 and p1 against the minimum of table 17, with e2 ≥ d0 for the bearing resistance.
What you enter and what you get
You enter fy,k and fu,k from table 1, the five dimensions of the bolted beam, the bolt grade (table 2) and size, whether the shear planes cross the shank or the thread, γM1 and γM2 (clause 4.1.3) and VEd. You choose a beam splice, welded to the web of the other beam, or a fin plate, welded to a column or a support, and enter the gap g, tp and hp, and the columns, rows, pitch p1, ex,b and ex,p of the bolts. For the welds: the throat a (clause 6.3.2.6), fuE (clause 6.3.2.2), the overlap lh and one or two vertical welds.
You get every force and resistance, the utilisation of each check with a pass or fail, and for comparison the worst bolt force with the hinge between the members. With the Pro plan, it prints as an A4 calculation note.
Assumptions and limits
- One plate, in shear alone, with the hinge at the bolts.
- The plate is at most the clear web depth of the beam, h − 2tf − 2r. The bolt group is centred on its depth.
- The shear in the plate is spread over its whole depth, and its yield strength is reduced everywhere.
Worked example
A beam splice of a rolled beam with h = 400 mm and tw = 8.6 mm in fy,k = 235 N/mm², under VEd = 200 kN, with a 300 × 10 mm plate, four M20 bolts of grade 4.6 in one column at p1 = 70 mm, sheared in the shank, a 10 mm gap and 5 mm fillets with lh = 90 mm and one vertical weld. These are the module's own results for its worked example, computed when this page was built.
Inputs| Input | Value | Ref. |
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| Characteristic yield strength fy,k | 235 N/mm² | § t.1 |
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| Characteristic tensile strength fu,k | 360 N/mm² | § t.1 |
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| Overall depth h | 400 mm | |
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| Flange width b | 180 mm | |
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| Web thickness tw | 8.6 mm | |
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| Flange thickness tf | 13.5 mm | |
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| Root radius r | 21 mm | |
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| Bolt grade | 4.6 | § t.2 |
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| Bolt size | M20 | § t.17 |
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| The shear planes cross the | Shank — the unthreaded part | |
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| Resistance factor, gross sections γM1 | 1.05 | § 4.1.3 |
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| Resistance factor, bolts, welds and net sections γM2 | 1.25 | § 4.1.3 |
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| Design shear force VEd | 200 kN | |
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| The plate is | Beam splice — welded to the web of the other beam | |
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| Gap between the two beam ends g | 10 mm | |
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| Thickness tp | 10 mm | |
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| Depth hp | 300 mm | |
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| Columns nc | 1 | |
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| Rows nr | 4 | |
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| Vertical pitch p1 | 70 mm | |
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| Beam end to the first column ex,b | 40 mm | |
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| Outer column to the plate end ex,p | 40 mm | |
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| Throat thickness a | 5 mm | § 6.3.2.6 |
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| Tensile strength of the filler metal fuE | 510 N/mm² | § 6.3.2.2 |
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| Overlap on the welded beam lh | 90 mm | |
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| Vertical welds | One — along the end of the plate | |
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Calculation: Common values| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Bolt | – = M20, grade 4.6, hole d0 = 22 mm | § t.17 |
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| Shear resistance of one plane0,6·fub,k·A/γM2, fub,k = 400 N/mm², A = 314.2 mm². | Fv,Rd = 60.32 kN | § (75) |
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| Boltsnc·nr = 1·4. | n = 4 | |
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| Force per boltVEd/n, and nothing more: the joint rotates at the bolts, so the eccentricity does not load them. | Fv,Ed = 50.00 kN | |
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| With the hinge between the members insteadThe worst bolt of a fully bolted joint with the same group and eccentricity.for comparison | FEd,max = 65.85 kN | |
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Calculation: Check 1 — bolts in shear| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Bolts in shearFv,Ed ≤ Fv,Rd | η = 0.829 · Pass83 % of the capacity used | § (75) |
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Calculation: Check 2 — bearing on the plate| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| End distance usedThe smaller of the vertical edge distance 45.0 mm and ex,p. | e = 40.0 mm | § (76) |
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| Bearing resistance per bolt0,85·(e/d0)·fu,k·d·t/γM2 ≤ 2,4·fu,k·d·t/γM2, t = 10.0 mm. | Fb,Rd = 89.02 kN | § (76) |
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| Bearing on the plateFb,Ed ≤ Fb,Rd | η = 0.562 · Pass56 % of the capacity used | § (76) |
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Calculation: Check 3 — bearing on the beam web| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| End distance usedex,b, from the beam end. | e = 40.0 mm | § (76) |
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| Bearing resistance per bolt0,85·(e/d0)·fu,k·d·t/γM2 ≤ 2,4·fu,k·d·t/γM2, t = 8.6 mm. | Fb,Rd = 76.56 kN | § (76) |
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| Bearing on the beam webFb,Ed ≤ Fb,Rd | η = 0.653 · Pass65 % of the capacity used | § (76) |
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Calculation: Check 4 — beam web, net section in shear| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Net shear areaAv − nr·d0·tw, Av by (42a). | Av,net = 3,513 mm² | § 5.1.4.3 |
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| Beam web, net section in shearVEd ≤ Veff,Rd | η = 0.380 · Pass38 % of the capacity used | § (82) |
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Calculation: Check 5 — end distance| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| End distancee1 ≥ 30 mm | η = 0.667 · Pass67 % of the capacity used | § t.17 |
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Calculation: Check 6 — edge distance| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Edge distancee2 ≥ 25 mm | η = 0.625 · Pass63 % of the capacity used | § t.17 |
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Calculation: Check 7 — pitch in the direction of the force| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Pitch in the direction of the forcep1 ≥ 45 mm | η = 0.643 · Pass64 % of the capacity used | § t.17 |
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Calculation: Common values| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Eccentricity, bolts to the weld linee = (nc − 1)·p2/2 + ex,b + g + lh: from the centroid of the bolts to the vertical weld at the end of the plate. | e = 140.0 mm | |
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| Moment at the critical section of the plateVEd·50.0 mm: where the plate leaves the welded beam. | Mp,Ed = 10.000 kN·m | |
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Calculation: Check 1 — the plate in shear and bending| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Shear stressVEd/(tp·hp). | τ = 66.7 N/mm² | |
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| Reduced yield strength√(fy,k² − 3τ²). | fy,r = 204.7 N/mm² | |
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| Reduced plastic momentfy,r·tp·hp²/4/γM1. | Mpl,V,Rd = 43.859 kN·m | |
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| The plate in shear and bendingMp,Ed ≤ Mpl,V,Rd | η = 0.228 · Pass23 % of the capacity used | |
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Calculation: Check 2 — the plate, net section in shear| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Net shear area(hp − nr·d0)·tp. | Av,net = 2,120 mm² | § (82) |
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| The plate, net section in shearVEd ≤ Veff,Rd | η = 0.630 · Pass63 % of the capacity used | § (82) |
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Calculation: Common values — the welds| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Resistance per unit lengthThe smaller of the throat, a·0,6·fuE/γM2 = 1,224, and the contact section, a·√2·0,8·fy,k/γM2 = 1,063 N/mm. | Fw,Rd = 1,063 N/mm | § (88) |
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Calculation: Check 3 — the vertical weld| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| The vertical weldv ≤ Fw,Rd | η = 0.627 · Pass63 % of the capacity used | § (87) |
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Calculation: Check 4 — the horizontal welds| Step | Value | Ref. |
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| Force on one edgeThe moment as a couple on the plate depth. | VEd·e/hp = 93.33 kN | |
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| The horizontal weldsv ≤ Fw,Rd | η = 0.975 · Pass98 % of the capacity used | § (87) |
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How this module is verified
Verified clause by clause against SIA 263:2013 and against independent calculations used on real projects, before release.
Questions
Why do the bolts carry only V_Ed/n?
The welds are far stiffer than the bolts, so the joint rotates at the bolts. In the worked example each bolt takes 50 kN. With the hinge between the members, the worst bolt of the same group would take 65.9 kN.
Where does the eccentricity go?
Into the plate and its welds. In the worked example e = 140 mm and each horizontal weld carries 93.3 kN over lh = 90 mm, η = 0.975.
Which plan includes this module?
The Pro plan, with its calculation note.
Related
Norm: SIA 263:2013 · Page updated: 8 November 2026