Lead Structural Engineer

Q: I’m trying to decide whether to use a bolted connection or a welded connection? Can you help me out with that one?

A: The large majority of industrial structural structures -- such as building structures, floors, platforms, conveyor bridges, transfer towers, support towers, equipment supports, and so on -- are an assembly of smaller components, and, as such, the components must be attached in some fashion.
The most common ways of accomplishing this are the use of bolted connections and welded connections. More specifically, bolted connections are typically made using high-strength bolts and welded connections are typically made using E70XX electrodes. Both bolts and welds come in a variety of types, sizes, and material. The number and size of bolts and the type, size, and length of weld are selected based mainly on the strength required for a particular connection. The single best source for information on bolted joints and the basis for the content in the AISC steel design manuals is the "Specification for Structural Joints Using High-Strength Bolts" by the Research Council on Structural Connections. The main guide for welding generally referred to by engineers is...Read More>>>