Barrier Cable Attachement to face of steel column flange

[swooneyWOODSTRUCT]

I have a condition where I need to attach barrier cables to the face of a column flange. The cables intersect with the center-line of the column so traditional barrel and wedge anchors won't work because we can't drill through the flange without hitting the web. Does anyone know of a product for this condition? The only thing I have found is the Grabb-it Anchor from Precision Hayes International but when I contacted them they said the Grabb-it is not approved for welding.

I have attached a sketch to clarify.

 

[KootK]

I don't know of an anchor although I imagine there's something out there. Worst case scenario, you could build a little housing to allow the use of conventional hardware.

 

[swooneyWOODSTRUCT]

KootK- Thanks for the response. I am beginning to think this is what I will have to do. I have seen people do this with HSS tube with holes in the side of it so that the barrel anchors could be accessed. i just don't know where to even start in designing an HSS with holes in the side of it. I also have fairly high loads (20 kips ULT tension in each cable) so I am worried about it working at all.

 

[KootK]

I bet that somebody here will know of a specialty product to know this out of the park.

i just don't know where to even start in designing an HSS with holes in the side of it. I also have fairly high loads (20 kips ULT tension in each cable) so I am worried about it working at all.

It can be made to work. Worst case scenario, you'd do something like I've shown below. What size are your columns?

 

[EdStainless]

I have seen this done by cutting a notch out of the web and using a hole straight through the flange.
Though you loads may not allow this approach, it does look clean.

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P.E. Metallurgy

 

[EZBuilding]

Consider the effects of deflection when these barrier cables are stressed. I know of a project which utilized cantilevered columns which deflected during the stressing process. The specialty contractor was not able to stress the barrier cables to it's design force. Steel braces where needed to be added to allow for the stressing to occur.

 

[dhengr]

HunterWOODSTRUCT:
You need access for a stressing jack at one end of the wire rope to use the barrel and wedge anchor arrangement, don’t you? Why not drill the col. flg. 1 - 1.25” off the web center line, on each side of the web, and on both flgs. Drill from the outside face of the flg. and the drill will clean up any k₁ radius material. Then thread the wire rope through its two holes on each side of the col. in opposite directions. Alternatively, you might stretch a cable several col. spacings now, but you should probably bush the intermediate holes for wire rope wear. This small eccentricity should not be a killer, but I haven’t run any numbers. At the corner cols. you might offset the web hole for its cable for a counteracting torsional direction, so the torsional action essentially cancels out. You probably need a web stiffener from flg. to flg. near this web hole. Don’t forget, the stressing force and at-rest cable force are one thing, but the cable force/stress are much higher if/when the cable is caused to do its job.

 

[r13]

How about a shouldered eye bolt welded to the column? It is commercially available.

 

[Ingenuity]

GRABB-IT devices are patented by Precision-Hayes, and they were purchased by GTI-USA (General Technologies) late last year.

GTI has many components for barrier cable applications - from new, to repair, to retrofit. But not too many for steel WF sections, as it is an uncommon application.

Attached is GTI's brochure on barrier cable components.

[NOTE: I do not work for, or an agent of, GTI. But I have used their components many times.]

You may consider welding a SHS hollow section to the WF flange, with side holes to the hollow-section to access the barrel chucks. If no access for stressing, GTI make tension couplers (like a turnbuckle) - but you are NOT going to get 20 kips into the strand.

OP - 20 kips per strand is very large. Are the cables at 4" horizontal c/c, because that is going to add up to a bunch! what is the application - 'catch' a run-away truck?