Flange splices in steel girders: select the correct detailing principle Which statement best reflects a correct and generally accepted rule for flange splicing in steel members?

Introduction:
Flange splicing is a critical detail in steel girders and plate girders because flange forces are usually large. Proper splice design and detailing ensure force transfer without inducing unintended secondary stresses. This question probes a core principle that governs good flange splice layout.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Rolled or built-up steel girders with flanges carrying axial force due to bending.
• Splice designed to transmit axial force (and, when required, shear) safely.
• Welded or bolted splices are possible; detailing rules remain conceptually similar.

Concept / Approach:

A fundamental rule is to ensure that the center of gravity (C.G.) of the splice components lies on the same line as the C.G. of the element being spliced. This eliminates eccentricity that would otherwise create local secondary bending in the splice. Splices are also normally located near points of lower stress to minimize required plate sizes and welds, not at maximum-stress sections.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Design models that include eccentricity show increased local stresses if the splice C.G. is offset. Field practice aligns splice elements (plates, cover plates, welds) symmetrically about the flange C.G. line to keep stresses uniform.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option A is incorrect: splices are preferably at points of minimum, not maximum, stress. Option B is not a universal rule; the exact excess area depends on design forces and connection method. Option D may be true for full-strength welded splices in some cases but is not mandatory for every situation (bolted splices are also common); hence it is not the single universally correct statement here.

Common Pitfalls:

Ignoring eccentricity, underestimating shear in the flange splice, and locating splices too close to high-stress regions or connections where access is difficult.

Final Answer:

The C.G. of the flange splice should coincide with that of the element spliced