News
Upgraded end plate design tool now available
Eurocode tying rules for robustness mean that designers need connections that can carry larger tension forces than equivalent designs to the former British Standards. Full depth end plates (rather than partial depth end plates) are therefore an attractive option.
To meet this need, the steel construction sector has upgraded its flexible end plate design tool to include full depth as well as partial depth end plates. This is now available here.
The software calculates the vertical shear resistance and tying resistance of partial depth and full depth end plate connections on beams. The design resistances are calculated in accordance with BS EN 1993-1-8 and the UK National Annex, following the procedures in the ‘Green Book’ (P358).
Selecting the steel grade and beam size generates a set of parameters for a typical standard end plate connection.
These parameters (number of bolt rows, pitch, offset, edge distances, gauge, plate width and thickness) may subsequently be changed and the resistances re-calculated. At any stage, re-selecting the beam will generate the typical connection.