SPREADSHEET SOLUTIONS FOR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

WeldGroup - eccentrically loaded weld group shear capacity

The WeldGroup spreadsheet calculates resistance of a weld group subjected to eccentric forces. It offers plastic and elastic methods of analysis in accordance with the AISC Manual.
Plastic analysis is used only for fillet welds loaded in the plane of a faying surface. It takes advantage of the higher strength of the welds loaded at an angle. For transversely loaded welds it accounts for a 50 percent increase in weld strength over a longitudinally loaded weld. For eccentrically loaded weld groups, plastic analysis uses Instantaneous Center of Rotation Method which is more economical and consistent with the test results than the elastic method. Plastic analysis can also be used for a group of parallel linear welds loaded not in the plane of faying surface. This condition is defined as a Special Case in Table 8-4 of the AISC Manual. The shear capacity is found as the resistance of a single weld (loaded in the plane) times the number of welds in the group. The design by WeldGroup spreadsheet shall be similar; implemented plastic analysis does not use out-of-plane forces.
Elastic analysis is used to analyze weld groups loaded either in the plane or normal to the plane of a faying surface. The stress vectors in three directions are calculated using a conventional approach and then summed geometrically. Elastic analysis can be used for fillet and PJP welds.

The spreadsheet provides design summary, detailed results, and fundamental theory and formulas.

• irregular weld patterns
• LRFD and elastic methods by AISC Manual 14th Edition
• allows multiple in-plane and normal to faying plane forces
• automatically generates typical weld patterns
• SI and US units

Weld generator

Design worksheet

Theory worksheet

Troubleshooting

• Enable macros.
  This action needs to be performed every time immidiately after opening this workbook.
  The Security Warning will appear In the upper left corner of the screen.
  In Excel 2007 and 2010: click on Options, and then select Enable This Content option on Security Alert Macro dialog box.
  In Excel 2013 and 2016: click on Enable Content button
  
• Load Solver Add-in.
  WeldGroup is using the Solver Add-In to converge the system of equilibrium equations for plastic analysis. To Solver Add-in is typically not loaded during standard Excel installation. You need install Solver Add-In only once, then it will be loaded automatically.
  1. Click the Microsoft Office or FiILE Button and then click Excel Options.
  2. Click Add-Ins, and then in the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins. Click Go.
  3. In the Add-Ins available box, select the Solver Add-in check box, and then click OK.
     Tip If Solver Add-in is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse to locate the add-in.
     If you get prompted that the Solver Add-in is not currently installed on your computer, click Yes to install it.
  4. After loading, the Solver command will be available in the Analysis group on the Data tab.
• Perform Analysis
  Fill in necessary input data in yellow painted cells and click on Update analysis results command button located below weld diagram. Alternatively, execute 'Calculate' command from WeldGroup custom toolbar which can be found under Add-Ins tab of the Home menu.
• Contact us if you still having trouble.