Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 1 Recommended detailing practice

gap gh gap gh
All end and edge Face
distances > 2d of web

M20, 8.8 bolts,

non preloaded
Length of in clearance holes
fin plate hp
hp > 0.6h b1 hb1
zp
22 mm holes

Long fin plate if

Min. 2.5 d zp > t p
0.15
10 mm S275 zp t p = fin plate thickness
Supporting Column fin plate
( I , RHS or CHS) (See note (1))

Face
of web
Double line of bolts
Supported beam
Length of 50 mm generally (Double notched)
fin plate hp (hb2 - 50 mm)
hp > 0.6 h b1

All end
and edge
distances
> 2d
Supported beam
(Single notched) Supporting beam Supporting beam

Notes:
(1) The fin plate is generally positioned close to the top flange of the beam to provide adequate positional
restraint. Its height should be at least 0.6 hb1 to give adequate “nominal torsional restraint”.
(2) For supported beams exceeding a nominal depth of 610 mm, the design method given here may only be
used when the following three conditions are all met:
● Supported beam Span/Depth  20
● Gap gh  20 mm
● Vertical distance between extreme bolts (n1-1)p1  530 mm
(3) Bolt spacing and edge distances should comply with the requirements of BS EN 1993-1-8.
(4) Detailing is similar for long fin plates (i.e. the fin plate thickness tp is less than 0.15zp) except the gap gh will
be considerably greater.

In beam to column flanges of I sections connections designed for a tie force of 75 kN, the connection must have
at least 2 No. M20, 8.8 bolts and the fin plate thickness  6 mm.
For greater tie forces, Checks 11 to 16, as appropriate, should be carried out.

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 Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 2 Supported beam – Bolt group

p2

e1,p

p p1 Centre
1 of bolt
p p1 n1 rows group
1 of bolts
p1 p1

I , RHS
or CHS

z z z
Assumed line of Assumed line of Assumed line of
shear transfer shear transfer shear transfer
VEd VEd VEd

Shear and bearing resistance of bolt group on fin plate and supported beam web (taking account of eccentricity
“z”).

where:
Bolt shear
n is the total number of bolts
Basic requirement:
= n1×n2
VEd  VRd
For a single vertical line of bolts (n2 = 1)
nF v,Rd
VRd =  =0
(1  n ) 2  ( n ) 2
6z
 =
 v f ub A n1(n1  1)p1
Fv,Rd =
 M2 For two vertical lines of bolts (n2 = 2)

zp 2
The expression for VRd is taken from Access-steel  =
resource SN017[28] 2I
zp1
 = ( n 1  1)
2I
n1 2 1 2 2
I = p2  n 1 ( n 1  1) p 1
2 6
v = 0.6 for 8.8 bolts
M2 is the partial factor for resistance of
bolts (M2 = 1.25 as given in the UK
National Annex to BS EN 1993-1-8)

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Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 2 Supported beam – Bolt group

(continued)

e1 e1

hp hp

e1 e1

z e2,b+gh p2 e2
e2

VEd VEd

where:
Bolt bearing in the fin plate
,  and n are as defined in Check 2(i)
Basic requirement:
d is the diameter of the bolt
VEd  VRd
For Fb,ver,Rd:
n
VRd =  e p 
 1  n 
2
 
2 k1 = min  2.8 2  1.7 ; 1.4 2  1.7 ; 2.5 
    n   d 0 d 0 
F  F 
 b,ver,Rd   b,hor,Rd   e p1 1 f ub 
b = min  1 ;  ; ; 1. 0 

Fb,Rd is the bearing resistance of a single bolt defined  3d 0 3d 0 4 f u,p 
as:
For Fb,hor,Rd:
k 1 b f u,p dt p
Fb,Rd =
 M2  e1 p1 
k1 = min  2.8  1 .7 ; 1 .4  1 .7 ; 2.5 
 d0 d0 
Fb,ver,Rd is the vertical bearing resistance of a single bolt
on the fin plate  e p2 1 f ub 
Fb,hor,Rd is the horizontal bearing resistance of a single b = min  2 ;  ; ; 1. 0 

 3d 0 3d 0 4 f u,p 
bolt on the fin plate
M2 is the partial factor for resistance of
bolts (M2 = 1.25 as given in the UK NA
to BS EN 1993-1-8)
When calculating k1 and b for connections with a single vertical row of bolts (n2 = 1), terms involving p2
are ignored.

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 Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 2 Supported beam – Bolt group

(continued) Beam web in bearing

e 2,b
gh

e 1,b

n1 rows
of bolts

he

VEd

where:
Bolt bearing in supported beam web
,  and n are as defined in Check 2(i)
Basic requirement:
VEd  VRd d is the diameter of the bolt
For Fb,ver,Rd:
n
VRd =
 1  n 
2
 
2  e 2,b p 
    n  k1 = min  2.8  1.7 ; 1.4 2  1.7 ; 2.5 
 d d 
F  F  0 0
 b,ver,Rd   b,hor,Rd 
 e 1,b p1 1 f ub 
Fb,Rd is the bearing resistance of a single bolt b = min  ;  ; ; 1.0 
 3 d 0 3 d 0 4 f u,b1 
k 1 b f u,b1 dt w,b1
= For Fb,hor,Rd:
 M2
Fb,ver,Rd is the vertical bearing resistance of a single bolt  e 1,b p1 
k1 = min  2.8  1 . 7 ; 1 .4  1.7 ; 2.5 
on the supported beam web  d0 d0 
Fb,hor,Rd is the horizontal bearing resistance of a single
bolt on the supported beam web  e 2,b p 2 1 f ub 
b = min  ;  ; ; 1.0 
 3 d 0 3 d 0 4 f u,b1 
M2 is the partial factor for resistance of
bolts (M2 = 1.25 as given in the UK
National Annex to BS EN 1993-1-8)
When calculating k1 and b for connections with a single vertical row of bolts (n2 = 1), terms involving p2
are ignored.

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Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 3 Supported beam – Fin plate

Critical section in shear and bending

Block shear - check failure by

tearing out of shaded portion

e1 e1

hp hp

e1 e1

z e2,b+gh p2 e2
e2

VEd VEd

Shear and bending resistance of the fin plate:

where:
Shear
Av,net = t p ( h p  n 1d 0 )
Basic requirement:
VEd  VRd,min Ant is the net area subjected to tension

VRd,min is the shear resistance of the fin plate, calculated For a single vertical line of bolts (n2 = 1):
as the smaller of the gross section shear d0
resistance VRd,g, net section shear resistance, Ant = t p ( e2  )
2
VRd,n and block shear resistance, VRd,b.
For two vertical lines of bolts (n2 = 2):
Fin plate in shear: gross section d0
Ant = t p ( p2  e2  3 )
hp t p f y,p 2
VRd,g =
1.27 3  M0 Anv is net area subjected to shear
The coefficient 1.27 takes into account the reduction in = t p ( h p  e 1  ( n 1  0 .5 ) d 0 )
the shear resistance of the cross section due to the
nominal moment in the connection. M2 is the partial factor for the resistance
of net sections (M2 = 1.1 as given in
Fin plate in shear: net section the UK National Annex to BS EN
1993-1-1)
f u,p
VRd,n = Av,net
3 M2

Fin plate in shear: block shear

0.5 f u,p A nt f y,p A nv
VRd,b = 
 M2 3  M0

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 Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 3 Supported beam – Fin plate

(continued)

hp

VEd z = zp VEd z = zp VEd zp

= =
z

Bending where:
Basic requirement: 2
tphp
VEd  VRd Wel,p =
6
If hp ≥ 2.73 z then VRd =  LT is the reduction factor for lateral
torsional buckling of the fin plate
W el,p f y,p obtained from Table 5.2 and based on
Else VRd = the slenderness of the fin plate, given
z  M0
for S275 by
1/ 2
Lateral torsional buckling 2.8  zp  hp 
Basic requirement: LT =
86.8  1.5t p 2 
 
VEd  VRd
M2 is the partial factor for resistance of
If zp > tp/0.15 (long fin plate) net sections (M2 = 1.1 as given in the
UK National Annex)
W  f Wel,p fy,p 
then VRd = min el,p LT y,p ;  zp = e2,b + gh
 z 0.6 M1 z  M0 

The 0.6 factor in the expression for VRd accounts for the
triangular shape of the assumed bending moment diagram in
the fin plate.

If zp ≤ tp/0.15 (short fin plate)

W el,p f y,p
then VRd =
z  M0

Note:
Long fin plates should not be used with unrestrained beams without experimental evidence to justify the
design.

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Fin plates – Design procedures

CHECK 3 Supported beam – Fin plate

(continued)

Table 5.2 Reduction factor for lateral torsional buckling, LT

LT Reduction factor, LT LT Reduction factor, LT

0.25 0.96 1.50 0.28

0.30 0.92 1.55 0.26
0.35 0.89 1.60 0.25
0.40 0.85 1.65 0.24
0.45 0.81 1.70 0.23
0.50 0.78 1.75 0.22
0.55 0.74 1.80 0.21
0.60 0.71 1.85 0.20
0.65 0.68 1.90 0.19
0.70 0.64 1.95 0.18
0.75 0.61 2.00 0.18
0.80 0.58 2.05 0.17
0.85 0.55 2.10 0.16
0.90 0.52 2.15 0.16
0.95 0.49 2.20 0.15
1.00 0.47 2.25 0.15
1.05 0.44 2.30 0.14
1.10 0.42 2.35 0.13
1.15 0.40 2.40 0.13
1.20 0.38 2.45 0.13
1.25 0.36 2.50 0.12
1.30 0.34 2.55 0.12
1.35 0.32 2.60 0.11
1.40 0.31 2.65 0.11
1.45 0.29 2.70 0.11

The values in Table 5.2 have been calculated using expression 6.56 of BS EN 1993-1-1 with an imperfection
factor LT of 0.76

120