Beam on top of column

[Polar24]

A beam connected to the side of column is a pinned connection correct?

What type of connection is a beam
Resting on top of a column?

Is this the same for both wood and steel?

Thanks

 

[Richard_Honne]

Incorrect, a beam connecting to the side of a column can be a pinned or fixed connection. Depends on the design of the connection.

Beam resting on top of a column can either be pinned or fixed, depends on the design of the connection.

I think the analysis is the same, regardless of material.

 

[jayrod12]

Fixed connections in wood are tough. Too much fastener slip.

 

[KootK]

Most beam to column connections in practice are considered to be pinned by their designers regardless of whether or not the connection is to the side or top of the column or whether the material is wood or steel. That said, either connection type in wood or steel might be a rigid (moment) connection.

If this is new construction that you're designing, then you need to decide how you'd like the joint to be have and then detail the connection to be consistent with that.

If this is existing construction that you're evaluating, then you need to base your assessment on the type of connection detail used (stiffeners, welds, etc) and what you're able to ascertain of the original designer's intent as expressed in any of the design documentation that may be available to you.

We might be able to provide more definitive advice if you post a sketch of the detail that you're seeing or intend to use.

 

[ads0221]

There's a bunch of pretty long topics on this website if you google.

My take aways for a beam resting on top of a column is the orientation of the bolts relative to the column (inside of the flanges that tends to be more pinned). How thick is the end plate the beam rests on (a thicker plate will transfer more moment than a super thin plate). How stiff is the column relative to the beam? (A larger column will be stiffer and attract more load). Are there stiffeners to transfer load from both flanges to the column?

It doesn't hurt to check both cases pinned and fixed in your analysis and design off of the worst case, whatever you do be consistent with it because in reality it's somewhere between pinned and fixed and it's almost impossible to get that exact representation using structural analysis software.