Intermittent welding of rod to existing steel joist

[henry.morris]

I am designing the reinforcing of multiple steel joists (30K7, 18K3, 36G etc). For the top chord I have specified a 1/2" rod with a 2-12 3/16" fillet weld B.S. The contractor has requested that we limit the type intermittent weld to being on one side of the rod only.

The weld is chiefly there to stop the rod from buckling however I am now concerned that the weld will be put into bending if it is only on one side of the rod. Is this concern justified?

Thanks,

Henry

 

[dik]

For what it's worth, I spec welds on both sides... I like things that are symmetric... is the reinforcing tension or compression... for tension in these environs we can go to longer spacing between intermittent welds by Canadian standards.

From my notes:

-FOR INTERMITTENT WELDS, LENGTH SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THE GREATER OF 4 TIMES THE WELD SIZE OR 40MM (1-1/2”). FOR COMPRESSION MEMBERS, THE MAX CLEAR SPACING BETWEEN WELDS SHALL NOT EXCEED 12”. FOR TENSION MEMBERS, THE MAX CLEAR SPACING BETWEEN WELDS SHALL NOT EXCEED 18” (CSA W59 11.4.13.2).


Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik