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Topic 3 (Block Shear)

The document discusses block shear, a failure mode in steel connections where a segment of material can tear out due to shear and tension forces. It explains the conditions under which block shear can occur, particularly in single-angle tension members and gusset plates, and references the AISC Specification for calculating block shear strength. The document also outlines the factors used for resistance in different design scenarios, including LRFD and ASD methods.

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Topic 3 (Block Shear)

The document discusses block shear, a failure mode in steel connections where a segment of material can tear out due to shear and tension forces. It explains the conditions under which block shear can occur, particularly in single-angle tension members and gusset plates, and references the AISC Specification for calculating block shear strength. The document also outlines the factors used for resistance in different design scenarios, including LRFD and ASD methods.

Uploaded by

josemargiangoo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CE362

PRINCIPLES OF STEEL
DESIGN

TOPIC 3

2nd
2. EFFECTIVE AREA 3. STAGGERED 4. BLOCK SHEAR
FASTENERS
4. BLOCK SHEAR

2. EFFECTIVE AREA 3. STAGGERED


FASTENERS
BLOCK SHEAR
For certain connection configurations, a segment or “block” of material at the end of the member can tear out. For example,
the connection of the single-angle tension member shown in Figure 3.21 is susceptible to this phenomenon, called block
shear.

For the case illustrated, the shaded block would tend to fail by shear along the longitudinal section ab and by tension on
the transverse section bc.

4
For certain arrangements of bolts, block shear can also occur in gusset plates. Figure 3.22 shows a plate tension member
connected to a gusset plate. In this connection, block shear could occur in both the gusset plate and the tension member. For
the gusset plate, tension failure would be along the transverse section df, and shear failure would occur on two longitudinal
surfaces, de and fg. Block shear failure in the plate tension member would be tension on ik and shear on both hi and jk. This
topic is not covered explicitly in AISC Chapter D (“Design of Members for Tension”), but the introductory user note directs
you to Chapter J (“Design of Connections”), Section J4.3, “Block Shear Strength.”
The model used in the AISC Specification assumes that failure occurs by rupture (fracture) on the shear area and rupture on
the tension area. Both surfaces contribute to the total strength, and the resistance to block shear will be the sum of the
strengths of the two surfaces. The shear rupture stress is taken as 60% of the tensile ultimate stress, so the nominal strength
in shear is 0.6FuAnv and the nominal strength in tension is FuAnt ,

This gives a nominal strength of

The AISC Specification uses Equation 3.3 for angles and gusset plates, but for certain types of coped beam connections, the
second term is reduced to account for nonuniform tensile stress. The tensile stress is nonuniform when some rotation of the
block is required for failure to occur. For these cases,
The AISC Specification limits the 0.6FuAnv term to 0.6FyAgv, where

and gives one equation to cover all cases as follows:

where Ubs = 1.0 when the tension stress is uniform (angles, gusset plates, and most coped beams) and Ubs = 0.5 when the
tension stress is nonuniform. A nonuniform case is illustrated in the Commentary to the Specification.

For LRFD, the resistance factor f is 0.75, and for ASD, the safety factor  is 2.00. Recall that these are the factors
used for the fracture—or rupture—limit state, and block shear is a rupture limit state.

Although AISC Equation J4-5 is expressed in terms of bolted connections, block shear can also occur in welded
connections, especially in gusset plates.
C E T S 4 6 4 P r o f e s s i o n a l Co u r s e - s pe c i a l i z e d 3
( A D V A N C E D C O N S T R UC T I O N M E T H O D S A N D E Q U I P M E N T )

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