Structural Steel Connection Design Principles Training

Learning Outcomes

• Apply the limit states design philosophy to structural steel connections.
• Analyze bolted connections for shear, tension, and combined loading.
• Design welded connections using fillet and groove welds to meet strength and serviceability requirements.
• Evaluate connection detailing for robustness, constructability, and compliance with SANS 10162-1.
• Implement quality control measures for fabrication and erection of steel connections.
• Demonstrate proficiency in interpreting connection details from structural drawings and specifications.

Target Audience

Civil and structural engineers, technologists, and technicians involved in the design, detailing, or review of steel structures. Also suitable for construction project managers and site supervisors seeking a deeper understanding of connection behavior.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Hands-on practicals are essential to develop competence in connection detailing, installation procedures, and quality control. Learners will perform bolt tightening, weld inspection, and connection assembly exercises to apply design principles in a workshop environment.

Practical Activities

• Bolted Connection Assembly and Torque Testing — Learners assemble bolted connections using torque wrenches, measure preload, and verify slip resistance. (6h)
• Weld Preparation and Visual Inspection — Learners prepare weld joints, perform fillet welds under supervision, and conduct visual inspection for defects. (6h)
• Base Plate and Anchor Bolt Installation — Learners set out base plates, install anchor bolts, and grout base plates to simulate field conditions. (6h)
• Connection Design and Detailing Exercise — Learners design a bolted moment connection using provided loads, then produce a detailed sketch and check against standards. (6h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.