What is a shear key in steel structures?
In steel structure engineering , the column base connection serves as the pivotal interface linking the superstructure to the concrete foundation below. It must safely and reliably transmit various loads from the upper structure: vertical pressure , uplift forces , bending moments , and horizontal shear forces . When horizontal shear forces become substantial, the friction alone between the column base plate and the concrete foundation surface proves insufficient to resist them. At this juncture, a critical small component becomes indispensable—the shear key . Shear keys, as the name suggests, are structural steel connection components specifically designed to resist and transmit horizontal shear forces. Essentially, they are short steel members. Installation location: Typically welded or anchored to the base plate of a steel column (or other load-bearing components such as equipment supports ), with its lower end embedded in the concrete foundation or concrete structure cast ...