FrameAI/ AISC/ Connections/ Beam Splice
AISC 360-22 §J3 · §J4 · LRFD · Imperial

Bolted Beam
Splice Connection

Flange cover plate + web cover plate splice per AISC 360-22 §J3 (bolt design) and §J4 (connected elements). Covers moment transfer, block shear, slip-critical Class B, and combined T+V checks.

When to use this
Use the bolted beam splice when a beam must be field-spliced mid-span or at a location where transportation limits the member length. It's the standard detail for moment frames and continuous beams where you need the splice to resist both shear and significant bending. For simple shear splices with light loads, a single-web cover plate with shear bolts may suffice; for moment-critical splices, flange cover plates are required to transfer the flange tension/compression couple.
Configuration — isometric splice detail
T1 T2 T3 Flange cover plate 10″ × 3/8″ × 12″ Web cover plate 1′ × 3/8″ × 6″ 1″ Ø A490-X 6 per flange (2×3) 4 on web (2×2) splice s = 8″ pitch W24×84 A992 Gr.50 Flange cover plate Web cover plate A490-X bolt
Bolt pattern — top view (flange splice)
fcvr W24×84 — top flange plan view bf = 10.5″ (full width) s = 3″ g splice
Worked Example — W24×84 · 400 kip-ft · 40 kips · 1″ A490-X bolts
Beam
W24×84
d = 24.1″   bf = 10.5″
tf = 0.560″   tw = 0.430″
Ix = 5,830 in⁴ · Fy = 50 ksi · A992
Loading
Mu = 400 kip-ft
Vu = 40 kips
c = 11.77″ (flange center from NA)
Direct shear: 40 kips
Bolts + Plates
1″ A490-X
Ab = 0.7854 in² · Fnt = 113 ksi
Fnv = 68 ksi · AISC 360-22 Table J3.2
Flange plate: 10″ × 3/8″ · Web plate: 12″ × 3/8″
Step 1 — Flange stress and force · AISC 360-22 §J4
Moment transfer — flange stress, force, and pitch demand
AISC 360-22 §J4 · beam plan section · bf = 10.5″, tf = 0.560″, Ix = 5,830 in⁴
c = d/2 − tf/2 = 24.1/2 − 0.560/2 = 11.77 in (flange center from NA)
fs = M·c/Ix = (400·12) · 11.77 / 5,830 = 9.67 ksi (flange stress)
T = fs · bf · tf = 9.67 · 10.5 · 0.560 = 56.87 kips (flange tension/compression force)
// T per bolt — 6 bolts per flange (2 rows × 3 pitch)
T_bolt = 56.87 / 6 = 9.48 kips/bolt
bf — beam flange width10.5 in
tf — beam flange thickness0.560 in
Ix — moment of inertia5,830 in⁴
Flange stress fs9.67 ksi
Total flange force T56.87 kips
T per bolt (6 per flange)9.48 kips
Step 2 — Flange cover plate · AISC 360-22 §J4
§J4 — Plate sizing and block shear on flange cover plate
AISC 360-22 §J4 · A992 plate Fy = 50 ksi · block shear per §J4.3
Flange cover plate — required thickness
tp ≥ T / (Fy·bf_pl) = 56.87 / (50·10) = 0.114 in → use 3/8″ (0.375″)
Block shear check — flange cover plate (6 bolts, 2 rows × 3)
// Block shear group: 3 bolts, pitch s=3″, gauge g=3″
Agv = g · L = 3 · 11 = 33.0 in² (gross shear area)
Ant = (bf_pl − 3·(1+1/8)) · tp = (10 − 3.125)·0.375 = 2.58 in² (net tension area)
Rn_block = 0.6·Fy·Agv + U·Fu·Ant = 0.6·50·33.0 + 1.0·65·2.58 = 1,185 kips
φRn (φ=0.75) = 889 kips > 56.87 kips → 0.064 — PASS
Flange cover plate — block shear utilisation
0.064 — 6.4% ✓
6.4% (max 100%)
Step 3 — Web cover plate · AISC 360-22 §J4
§J4 — Web plate for combined shear from direct load and flange couple
AISC 360-22 §J4 · web plate 12″ × 3/8″ · block shear per §J4.3
// Total shear = direct Vu + moment-induced V from flange couple
V_flange_couple = 56.87·2·11.77 / 24.1 = 55.5 kips (moment-induced shear, flange couple / d)
V_total = 40 + 55.5 = 95.5 kips
// Web plate: 12″ wide × 3/8″ thick · A992 Fy=50 ksi
φVn_yield = 0.90 · 0.6 · 50 · 12 · 0.375 = 121.5 kips (φ=0.90 for shear yielding)
Utilisation = 95.5 / 121.5 = 0.786 — 78.6% ✓ PASS
Block shear check — web cover plate (4 bolts, 2 rows × 2)
Agv = 3 · 9 = 27.0 in²    Ant = (12 − 2·1.125)·0.375 = 3.53 in²
φRn = 0.75·(0.6·50·27.0 + 1.0·65·3.53) = 96.4 kips
Utilisation = 95.5 / 96.4 = 0.991 — 99.1% ✓ PASS — governing
Web cover plate — block shear utilisation (governing)
0.991 — 99.1% ✓
99.1% (max 100%)
Step 4 — Slip-critical Class B · AISC 360-22 §J3.8
§J3.8 — Slip-critical connection (Class B, standard holes)
AISC 360-22 §J3.8 · μ = 0.50 (Class B, blast-cleaned or better) · Du = 1.13 · Df = 1.0 (standard holes)
Rn = μ · Du · Df · Vn · Ab = 0.50 · 1.13 · 1.0 · 68 · 0.7854 = 30.3 kips/bolt
φRn (φ=1.0 for service loads / φ=0.85 for factored loads) = 0.85 · 30.3 = 25.8 kips/bolt
Slip-critical utilisation = 9.48 / 25.8 = 0.367 — 36.7% ✓ PASS
// Note: Class B (blast-cleaned, μ=0.50) governs over Class A (μ=0.35). Standard holes (Df=1.0) — short-slotted OK for Class B if direction is transverse.
Slip-critical Class B utilisation (flange bolts)
0.367 — 36.7% ✓
36.7% (max 100%)
Step 5 — Combined T+V utilisation · AISC 360-22 §J3.7
§J3.7 — Flange bolt: combined tension + shear (A490-X, 1″ Ø)
AISC 360-22 §J3.7 · Fnt' = 1.3·Fnt − (Fnt/φFnv)·frv ≤ Fnt
Vu/bolt = 40 / 6 = 6.67 kips/bolt
frv = 6.67 / 0.7854 = 8.49 ksi (required shear stress per bolt)
Fnt' = 1.3·113 − (113/(0.75·68))·8.49 = 146.9 − 3.27 = 143.6 ksi ≤ 113 ksi = Fnt' = 113 ksi (capped)
φRn = 0.75 · 113 · 0.7854 = 66.6 kips
T = 9.48 kips < 66.6 kips → 0.142 — 14.2% ✓ PASS (T+V governs over tension alone)
Flange bolt — combined T+V utilisation (A490-X, 1″)
0.142 — 14.2% ✓
14.2% (max 100%)
Summary — Connection SP1 · FrameAI Pro / Studio output
All checks pass — governing utilisation 99.1% (web block shear)
Limit stateφRnDemandUtilisationRef
Web plate — block shear (governing)φRn = 96.4 kipsV = 95.5 kips0.991 — PASS§J4.3
Web plate — shear yieldingφVn = 121.5 kipsV = 95.5 kips0.786 — PASS§J4.3
Flange cover plate — block shearφRn = 889 kipsT = 56.87 kips0.064 — PASS§J4.3
Flange bolt — tension (6 per flange)φRn = 66.6 kipsT = 9.48 kips0.142 — PASS§J3.6
Flange bolt — slip-critical Class BφRn = 25.8 kipsT = 9.48 kips0.367 — PASS§J3.8
Web bolt — shear (4 per web)φVn = 38.5 kipsV = 23.9 kips0.621 — PASS§J3.6
// Design callout for fabrication drawing:
Joint SP1   W24×84 splice   1″ A490-X   flange: 10″×3/8″ fcvr · web: 12″×3/8″   Class B slip-critical · blast-cleaned   s=3″ pitch, g=3″
Run this on your drawing — upload PDF
FrameAI extracts member sizes from your PDF · runs all §J3/J4 checks · outputs fabrication-ready connection report PDF with part marks and bolt schedules
FrameAI Pro / Studio

Batch-design every splice in your drawing set

FrameAI Pro uploads your entire drawing set as a PDF. It reads every beam splice, runs AISC 360-22 §J3/J4 checks on all of them, flags the ones that fail, and produces a connection report PDF you can stamp. Batch upload, batch design, batch export.

Studio adds: DSTV NC1 fabrication files, IFC4 model export, clash detection, and a team workspace with revision history.

See Pro and Studio pricing →

Free resource

AISC 360-22 Connection Cheatsheet

A325/A490 bolt tables (½"–1¼"), E70XX weld strength per inch, prying action decision tree — 4 pages, imperial units.

Download the PDF →
← AISC Hub Samples Cheatsheet PDF Bolt Capacity Weld Sizing Endplate + Baseplate Calculator
Beam Splice
AISC 360-22 §J3 — Bolt design
AISC 360-22 §J4 — Connected elements
AISC 360-22 §J3.8 — Slip-critical
Endplate Moment
AISC 360-22 §J3 — Bolt design
AISC DG-4 (2nd Ed.) Eq. 3.1, 3.2
AWS D1.1 §J2.4 — E70XX fillet
Bolt Grades
AISC 360-22 Table J3.2
ASTM F3125 — A325 / A490
RCSC 2020 Specification