This article is a part of a series "Connection Design RFIs."
Read all articles in the series.
Avoid overdesigning and unsafe design
Designing skewed shear tabs often exposes the complexity of even seemingly simple connections. The angled geometry in skewed connections introduces eccentricities that affect load distribution and moment transfer. This can cause local buckling issues in both the shear tab and the connected member, which are difficult to assess with traditional hand calculations or spreadsheets. These complexities make such designs prone to errors and delays if approached conventionally.
Many engineers face two common issues:
- Overdesign: To ensure safety, engineers may overestimate forces and apply larger factors, leading to unnecessary material use and higher costs.
- Underdesign: Failing to account for critical factors such as local buckling and stiffness leads to unsafe or inefficient designs.
These challenges often require repeated reviews, recalculations, and additional approval steps, further straining project timelines. Manually considering the effect of moment arms and local buckling can be tedious, especially under tight deadlines.
