Fin plate (shear tab) connection calculator

Inputs in the worked example

The live calculator starts with these values; change any of them and every result, check and diagram updates instantly.

Worked example — results

• ✓ Bolts
• ✓ Plate gross shear
• ✓ Plate net shear
• ✓ Block shear
• ✓ Plate bending
• ✓ Welds
• ✓ Plate thin enough for rotation (tp ≤ 0.5 df)

Method, formulas and assumptions

• Bolt diameter df = CHOOSE(3,12,16,20,24,30,36) = 20 mm
• Bolt tensile strength fuf = IF(2=1,400,830) = 830 MPa
• Tensile stress area As = CHOOSE(3,84.3,157,245,353,561,817) = 245 mm²
• Core area Ac (threads) = CHOOSE(3,76.2,144,225,324,519,759) = 225 mm²
• Shank area Ao = CHOOSE(3,113,201,314,452,707,1018) = 314 mm²
• Plate yield stress fy (AS/NZS 3678) = CHOOSE(1,IF(10<=8,280,IF(10<=12,260,250)),IF(10<=8,320,IF(10<=12,310,IF(10<=20,300,280))),IF(10<=12,360,IF(10<=20,350,340))) = 260 MPa
• Plate tensile strength fu = CHOOSE(1,410,430,450) = 410 MPa
• Plate depth = (4-1)*70+2*35 = 280 mm
• Hole diameter = 20+2 = 22 mm
• Σy² about centroid = 70^2*(4-1)*4*(4+1)/12 = 24500 mm²
• Resultant on top bolt √((V/n)² + (V e ymax/Σy²)²) = SQRT((180/4)^2+(180*60*(4-1)*70/2/24500)^2) = 64.555 kN
• Bolt capacity min(φVf, φVb plate, φVb web) = MIN(0.8*0.62*830*225/1000,0.9*3.2*20*10*410/1000,0.9*3.2*20*7.3*440/1000) = 92.628 kN
• Plate gross shear 0.9·0.6 fy hp tp = 0.9*0.6*260*280*10/1000 = 393.12 kN
• Plate net shear 0.9·0.6 fu (hp − n dh) tp = 0.9*0.6*410*(280-4*22)*10/1000 = 425.09 kN
• Block shear φRbs (9.1.9, kbs 1.0) = 0.75*MIN(0.6*410*(280-35-(4-0.5)*22)*10+410*(35-22/2)*10,0.6*260*(280-35)*10+410*(35-22/2)*10)/1000 = 360.45 kN
• Plate bending φ fy tp hp²/6 = 0.9*260*10*280^2/6/1E6 = 30.576 kNm
• V* × e = 180*60/1000 = 10.8 kNm
• Weld capacity 2 φ 0.6 fuw tt hp = 2*IF(1=1,0.8,0.6)*0.6*490*8/SQRT(2)*280/1000 = 745.08 kN

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