J5Fillers

J5.1 Fillers in Welded Connections

Whenever it is necessary to use fillers in joints required to transfer applied force, the fillers and the connecting welds shall conform to the requirements of Section J5.1a or Section J5.1b, as applicable.

J5.1a Thin Fillers

Fillers less than ¼ in. (6 mm) thick shall not be used to transfer stress. When the thickness of the fillers is less than ¼ in. (6 mm), or when the thickness of the filler is ¼ in. (6 mm) or greater but not sufficient to transfer the applied force between the connected parts, the filler shall be kept flush with the edge of the outside connected part, and the size of the weld shall be increased over the required size by an amount equal to the thickness of the filler.

J5.1b Thick Fillers

When the thickness of the fillers is sufficient to transfer the applied force between the connected parts, the filler shall extend beyond the edges of the outside connected base metal. The welds joining the outside connected base metal to the filler shall be sufficient to transmit the force to the filler and the region subjected to the applied force in the filler shall be sufficient to prevent overstressing the filler. The welds joining the filler to the inside connected base metal shall be sufficient to transmit the applied force.

J5.2 Fillers in Bolted Bearing-Type Connections

When a bolt that carries load passes through fillers that are equal to or less than ¼ in. (6 mm) thick, the shear strength shall be used without reduction. When a bolt that carries load passes through fillers that are greater than ¼ in. (6 mm) thick, one of the following requirements shall apply:

(a) The shear strength of the bolts shall be multiplied by the factor

$1-0.4(t-0.25)$

$1-0.0154(t-6)$ (S.I.)

but not less than 0.85, where $t$ is the total thickness of the fillers.

• (b) The fillers shall be welded or extended beyond the joint and bolted to uniformly distribute the total force in the connected element over the combined cross section of the connected element and the fillers.
• (c) The size of the joint shall be increased to accommodate a number of bolts that is equivalent to the total number required in (b).