stud bolt gun

[delagina]

i am not so familiar with composite beam-metal deck slab details.

how do i call out a stud bolt to punch thru a metal deck using a stud bolt gun then field welded to connecting beam?

i want to make sure stud bolt is not shop welded to steel beam but field welded using a stud bolt gun.

also is stud bolt gun strong enough to punch thru a metal deck of any thickness?

 

[delagina]

can someone post a go-by how to correctly call this out in the detail.

baretired, are you there?

 

[BAretired]

I don't know what a stud bolt gun is. Normally, Nelson studs or other shear connectors are welded through the metal deck. See the following link:

http://www.nelsonstud.com/cat-pdf/ferrules/Weld Thru Deck.pdf

BA

 

[delagina]

i was talking to vulcraft engineer and he said "normally" they use stud bolt gun in the field and it will punch thru the metal deck then weld to supporting beam.

i am trying to avoid shop welded shear connectors as it would prevent the metal deck to be continuous.

 

[hawkaz]

Call out the deck to be a 2 or 3 span minimum- and indicate that single spans are not allowed. They will need to install the studs in the field.

 

[realsteel]

In case you all wanted to know a little more about the equipment and how the process works, here are a few links.

http://studweldprod.com/equipmentarc1.php

http://www.sunbeltstudwelding.com/studwelding.htm

These links assume you are allowing for the studs to be welded in this manner. What Vulcraft was referring to would be these welding machines.

 

[RacingAZ]

Call it out as automatic welded. Here is what I normally put in my GSN:

HIGH STRENGTH HEADED STUDS SHALL BE AUTOMATIC WELDED CONFORMING TO ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE LATEST EDITION OF THE "RECOMMENDED PRACTICES FOR STUD WELDING". CONFORMANCE SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, ALL QUALITY CONTROL TESTING PROVISIONS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PUBLICATIONS.

 

[Ron]

delagina...yes, the studs are commonly welded through the decking using automatic stud welding process.

 

[a2mfk]

Are studs EVER shop welded to the tops of wide flange beams? I thought this was always one of those things that is done in the field once the beams and deck are erected..

Seems like a pretty good spec/note by RacingAZ.

 

[hokie66]

In the days before steel form deck was common, the studs were shop welded, and plywood forms were used. But then you young guys wouldn't know that.

 

[struct6]

just couple of days back I inspected studs welded on steel beams in a composite floor slab. In our project the contractor used nelson studs and the same company provides a gun to shoot the studs onto the beam penetrating the 20ga steel deck. I took a hammer and hit random studs and their connections were pretty sturdy.

 

[delagina]

the link/video doesnt show though punching thru the metal deck then welding to supporting beam.

do i have to specify holes in the deck? or the "gun" would punch holes through the deck?

thanks,

 

[Ron]

delagina...the deck is probably somewhere between 20 and 24 gauge material. The studs are welded by a variation of a resistance welding process that requires fairly high current. It blows through and melts the decking at that location, bonding the stud to the beam.

 

[WillisV]

There is no punching involved - the "gun" is just an electric arc welder that melts that tip of the stud and the deck and fuses them to the beam in one action. They use a ceramic collar (called a welding ferrule)to contain the molten steel at the weld while it fuses - these collars then break off later.

If you can stand the music this video shows welding through deck:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nMF7V1tB3k

This is standard stuff - the way hundreds of thousands of SF of composite floor have been constructed. I do not think I have ever seen someone on a large composite floor fillet welding studs to beams.