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C H A P T E R 3
METAL DETAILS
3-1 STRUCTURAL STEEL COLUMN
ERECTION TOLERANCES
Description
Figure 3-1 illustrates some of the erection tolerances permitted by the American Institute
of Steel Construction (AISC) for the plumbness of columns and attached spandrel beams.
Along with the mill tolerances and plan tolerances shown in Section 3-3, this diagram permits
realistic detailing of the attachment of other materials, such as exterior cladding, to a steel
frame. However, AISC 303 states that the accumulated mill and fabrication tolerances cannot
cause erection tolerances to be exceeded.
Figure 3-1 shows the permissible envelope within which the working points of columns
can fall. When misalignment of beams is caused by an acceptable variation in column align-
ment, the beams are considered acceptable as well. Figure 3-2 illustrates the permissible
variations of a beam attached to a column, which is within the allowable tolerance envelope
shown in Fig. 3-1.
In general, with the tolerances shown in Fig. 3-1, if connections that allow for a 3 in.
(76 mm) adjustment are provided, the exterior of a building (the building line in the detail)
can be maintained in a true vertical plane up to the 20th story. If no further adjustment is
provided in buildings of over 20 stories, the exterior can be maintained within 1/16 in. (1.6 mm)
per story.
Limitations of Use
Additional tolerances exist for steel fabrication and erection. Refer to AISC 303, Code
of Standard Practice for Steel Bridges and Buildings, for a complete description.
Figure 3-1 does not account for differential column shortening between interior and ex-
terior columns during construction or for the effects of temperature changes. However,
once the building is complete, these variations are usually not significant for detailing
purposes as long as sufficient clearance and adjustment have been provided based on
the tolerances shown in this detail and in Section 3-3.
Figure 3-1 does not indicate mill tolerances for camber or sweep.
143
Architect’s Handbook of Construction Detailing, Second Edition
by David Kent Ballast
Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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144 A r c h i t e c t ’s H a n d b o o k o f C o n s t r uc t i o n D e t a i li n g
Figure 3-1 Structural steel column erection tolerances 05 05 03
allowable plumb
line tolerances
b
u
i l
d
i n
g
l i
n
e
varies
max. slope
1/500 between
working points
column line
plumb
20th floor
36th floor
2" (50) 3" (75) for exterior columns
max. slope
1/16" (2)
per story for
exterior columns
1/4" (6)
base W.P. tolerance
See Sec. 3-2
varies
plumb
1" (25)Tt=
1/4" (6)
2" (50)aT =
Detailing Considerations
The following definitions apply to steel erection tolerances:
The working point of a column is defined as the actual center of the column at either
end of the column as shipped. Therefore, when two column pieces are spliced together,
there are two working points adjacent to each other.
The working point of a beam is the actual centerline of the top flange at either end.
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M e t a l D e t a i l s 145
The mill tolerances shown in Section 3-3 should be added to the erection tolerances
shown in this detail if overall dimensions are critical. Complete mill tolerances are given
in ASTM A6.
For members with both ends finished for contact bearing, a variation of 1/32 in. (0.8
mm) is permitted.
At the bottom of the column there is a tolerance of
1
/4 in. (6 mm) from the center of
any anchor bolt group to the established column line through the group. The center-
to-center distance between any two bolts within an anchor bolt group cannot vary by
more than 1/8 in. (3 mm).
The tolerances for columns adjacent to elevator shafts are slightly more restrictive than
those for other columns. These columns cannot vary more than 1 in. (25 mm) from the
established column line in the first 20 stories. Above the 20th floor, the displacement
can be increased 1/32 in. (0.8 mm) for each additional story to a maximum of 2 in.
(51 mm).
In addition to providing for required steel tolerances, adequate clearances must be
provided for tolerances of attached materials (such as precast concrete) and for the
clearances required for working and connecting the various construction materials
together.
In general, a column is considered plumb if the deviation of the working line of the
column from a true plumb line does not exceed 1:500.
Coordination Required
The tolerance for setting anchor bolt groups and embedded items is separate from the
steel erection tolerances and must be taken into account when the total tolerance at any
given point in the steel frame is determined. However, anchor bolt groups are usually
set to a tolerance of ±1/4 in. (6 mm).
Adjustments in the height of prefabricated cladding panels must be provided for due
to the accumulated shortening of steel columns under load, which will make the steel
frame slightly shorter than the unstressed facade.
3-2 STEEL COLUMN/BEAM CONNECTION
TOLERANCES
Description
As stated in Section 3-4, horizontal alignment of beams is considered acceptable when the
ends are connected to columns that fall within acceptable tolerances. This section describes
acceptable variations in both horizontal and vertical placement of beams and tolerances of
individual columns between floors.
Figure 3-2(a) illustrates how the horizontal position of an individual beam work point
must fall within the allowable column tolerances shown in Fig. 3-1. In addition, the allowable
vertical tolerance is determined by measuring from the upper column splice line to the
theoretical beam work point. This distance cannot be greater than 3/16 in. (5 mm) or less than
5/16 in. (8 mm).
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146 A r c h i t e c t ’s H a n d b o o k o f C o n s t r uc t i o n D e t a i li n g
Figure 3-2 Steel column/beam connection tolerances 05 05 03.1
5/16"
(8)
3/16"
(5)
b
u
i l
d
i n
g
l i
n e
column splice line
d
i s
t a
n
c
e
s
h
o
w
n
o
n
d
r a
w
i n g
s
column work
point (W.P.)
theoretical beam
work point
column line
1" (25) 2" (50)
Tt
aT
W.P.
W.P.
out of plumb
1:500 max.
braced
points
out of straightness
L/1000 max.
L
(b) allowable tolerances between floors(a) beam-to-column connection tolerances
As shown in Fig. 3-2(b), the variation in straightness for a straight compression member
must be equal to or less than 1/1000 of the axial length between points that are to be laterally
supported. This is the fabrication tolerance given in AISC 303. For curved members, the
variation from the theoretical curve must be equal to or less than the variation in sweep that is
required for an equivalent straight member of the same length as specified in ASTM A6/A6M.
3-3 STRUCTURAL STEEL COLUMN
PLAN TOLERANCES
Description
Figure 3-3 illustrates some of the allowable variations in cross-sectional size and straightness
of standard rolled W and HP shapes, commonly used for columns. A W shape is a doubly
symmetric wide-flange shape used as a beam or column whose inside flange surfaces are
substantially parallel. An HP shape is a wide-flange shape generally used as a bearing pile
whose flanges and webs are of the same nominal thickness and whose depth and width are
essentially the same. The tolerances shown are those that most affect architectural detailing
and coordination with other materials.
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M e t a l D e t a i l s 147
Figure 3-3 Structural steel column plan tolerances 05 05 04
(a) size tolerances
(b) squareness tolerances
T' = flange tilt
T = flange tilt
maximum flanges out of square,
T+T' = 1/4" (6) for sections
12" (310) deep and under and
T+T' = 5/16" (8) for sections over
12" (310) deep
C
=
d
+
1
/ 4
"
( 6
)
m
a x
.
1/2 B ±3/16" (±5)
column work point
B = b +1/4" (6)f
T' = flange tilt
f
d = flange depth as published in
the Manual of Steel Construction
C = maximum depth at any cross section
B = flange width in inches (mm)
b = flange width as published in
the Manual of Steel Construction -3/16" (5)
±5/16 (±8) for secti
