Seismic Weld Access Holes

Connection design uses the Seismic Weld Access Holes settings to determine the size and shape of the access hole when you apply a welded moment Seismic moment frame member connection on a wide flange beam that has a Seismic Access Hole designation in the local shape file.
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Access Hole Type: A or B or C or D or E or F or G or H or I or J or K or L or M or N or O.

On this screen:
Access Hole Type = A is the first row.
In the local shape file:
Seismic Access Hole for W21x44 = A
On the Beam Edit:
Section size = W21x44
Moment type = Welded
Seismic moment frame member = Yes
The final result:
Connection design looks at the settings in row A on this screen to design the seismic welded moment connection on the 21x44 beam.

A special case: If the local shape file's Seismic Access Hole designation is None for a particular Section size, then connection design does not reference this screen, but instead uses the setup values defined for moment connections in Weld Design Settings.

Warning: Since these letters (A, B, C, etc.) are Seismic Access Hole designations for wide flange sections in the local shape file, do not change them.

(1): The top/bottom groove angle (0 to 90 degrees). As specified in the AISC Seismic Design Manual, 30 is the default groove angle for every Access Hole Type. On the left end, 30 bevels the flange 30 degrees clockwise from vertical. On the right end, 30 bevels the flange 30 degrees counterclockwise from vertical. 0 leaves the top and bottom flanges unbeveled.

(1) = groove angle. The value entered for (1) applies to both the top and bottom flanges.

(2): The flange flush length is the distance measured parallel with the flange from the inside corner of the beveled flange to where the weld access hole is no longer flush with the flange. In the AISC Seismic Design Manual, this value can range from 1/2 inch (for Access Hole Type A and B) to 4 inches (for type N).

(2) = flange flush length. The distance along the flange, excluding the beveled portion of the flange, that the web is cut flush to the flange.

(3): The flange to hole distance. This is the distance measured perpendicular to the flange from the inside of the top or bottom flange to the center of the hole.

(3) = flange to hole distance. This is the distance from the inside of the flange to the center of the hole.

(4): The hole radius. In the AISC Seismic Design Manual, 1/2 is the default hole radius for every Access Hole Type.

(4) = hole radius. Add holes in CNC Setup can be set to download this hole.

(5): The web to hole distance. This is the distance measured perpendicular to the web from the web to the center of the hole.

(5) = web to hole distance. Note that these examples have a Web setback and that this distance is measured to the actual edge of the web, after that setback has been applied.

Web Setback: The distance from the beam web to the face of the supporting member minus the weld gap.

s = web setback.

Weld Gap: The distance from the edge of the beam's flange to the face of the supporting column.

g = weld gap. This example shows doublers and stiffeners in the column.

Root Face: The desired root face dimension that defines how much of the flange is clipped on welded moment connections.

rf = root face.

  • The position of these form buttons on the screen tells you what settings they apply to. Click here for more information.
  • You can Copy ( ) the settings on this screen , then Paste ( ) those settings to a different screen of the same type.
  • Save ( ) saves a file to a global folder ( ) that is used by your current version of SDS2. Give the file a name that will help other users identify its purpose. Load ( ) replaces the settings on this screen with the settings that are stored in the file that you select.
  • When editing multiple screens at the same time, Paste and Load replace mixed entries to a single field with a single entry. Copy and Save ignore fields with mixed entries, treating them as if they have no entry or do not exist.

OK (or the Enter key) closes this screen and applies the settings.

Cancel (or the Esc key) closes this screen without saving any changes.

Reset undoes all changes made to this screen since you first opened it. The screen remains open.

  • If you have made changes to this screen and want to ensure design consistency throughout your current Job, you should mark for processing (or Process Selected) all members in your current Job, then Process and Create Solids.
  • Defaults on this screen for (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) are from Table 1-1 in the AISC Seismic Design Manual.
  • Red or yellow exclamation point icons ( or ) indicate that a setting field is required to be filled out or corrected before the settings can be accepted by clicking OK. Hover your mouse cursor over the icon to make a tooltip appear with more information.