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steel-connection-designer skill

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This skill designs bolted and welded steel connections per AISC, delivering calculations, details, and schedules to streamline seismic projects.

npx playbooks add skill a5c-ai/babysitter --skill steel-connection-designer

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SKILL.md
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---
name: steel-connection-designer
description: Steel connection design skill for bolted and welded connections per AISC specifications
allowed-tools:
  - Read
  - Write
  - Glob
  - Grep
  - Edit
  - Bash
metadata:
  specialization: civil-engineering
  domain: science
  category: Structural Design
  skill-id: CIV-SK-005
---

# Steel Connection Designer Skill

## Purpose

The Steel Connection Designer Skill designs structural steel connections including bolted and welded connections per AISC 360 and AISC 341 for seismic applications.

## Capabilities

- Bolted connection design per AISC 360
- Welded connection design
- Moment connection design per AISC 358
- Shear tab, end plate, angle connections
- Base plate and anchor rod design per AISC Design Guide 1
- Seismic connection detailing per AISC 341
- Column splice design
- Bracing connection design

## Usage Guidelines

### When to Use
- Designing steel connections
- Verifying connection capacity
- Detailing seismic connections
- Evaluating existing connections

### Prerequisites
- Member forces established
- Member sizes selected
- Connection type determined
- Seismic requirements identified

### Best Practices
- Consider erection requirements
- Check all limit states
- Detail for seismic ductility
- Coordinate with fabricator

## Process Integration

This skill integrates with:
- Structural Steel Design
- Bridge Design LRFD
- Seismic Design Analysis

## Configuration

```yaml
steel-connection-designer:
  connection-types:
    - shear-tab
    - end-plate
    - angle
    - base-plate
    - column-splice
    - bracing
  design-codes:
    - AISC-360
    - AISC-341
    - AISC-358
```

## Output Artifacts

- Connection calculations
- Connection details
- Material summaries
- Bolt and weld schedules

Overview

This skill designs and checks structural steel connections—bolted and welded—using AISC 360, AISC 341, and AISC 358 provisions. It produces connection calculations, detailing, and fabrication-ready schedules for seismic and non-seismic projects. The focus is practical outputs: capacity checks, bolt/weld schedules, material summaries, and construction detailing.

How this skill works

Given member forces, selected member sizes, and a chosen connection type, the skill evaluates limit states, designs bolt and weld arrangements, and sizes plates, angles, and base elements per the applicable AISC code. It applies seismic detailing rules when AISC 341 requirements are flagged and generates clear calculation notes and schedules for fabrication and erection coordination.

When to use it

  • Designing new bolted or welded connections for buildings or bridges
  • Checking existing connections for capacity or code compliance
  • Detailing connections for seismic ductility and special moment frames
  • Sizing base plates and anchor rods for column support
  • Preparing bolt and weld schedules for fabrication

Best practices

  • Provide accurate member forces and load combinations before connection sizing
  • Flag seismic classification early to apply appropriate AISC 341 detailing
  • Coordinate hole patterns, bolt access, and erection tolerances with the fabricator
  • Verify all applicable limit states (shear, tear-out, block shear, bending, weld strength)
  • Document assumptions, material strengths, and connection geometry in outputs

Example use cases

  • Design a shear-tab connection for a beam-to-column support in a multistory frame
  • Develop an end-plate moment connection for a non-seismic or seismic moment frame
  • Size a base plate and anchor rod layout for a steel column foundation
  • Detail a column splice that meets strength and erection clearance requirements
  • Generate bolt and weld schedules for shop drawings and QA inspection

FAQ

What codes does the skill follow?

Design checks use AISC 360 for general provisions, AISC 341 for seismic detailing, and AISC 358 for moment-resisting connections when requested.

What input data are required?

Required inputs include member axial/shear/moment forces, steel grades, member sizes, connection type, bolt/weld preferences, and seismic classification if applicable.

What outputs are produced?

Outputs include step-by-step calculations, connection details (dimensions and plates), bolt and weld schedules, and a material summary for fabrication.