Engineering & Connection Design
At Rydberg Engineering LLC, we provide licensed Engineering & Connection Design, stamped connection design services for steel fabricators, general contractors, and structural engineering firms across Texas and the United States. While the structural Engineer of Record (EOR) specifies member sizes and design forces, steel connection design determines how those members are physically joined in the shop and field.
Our team develops fully calculated, code-compliant connection details for moment frames, braced frames, shear connections, and complex transfer joints. We align design drawings with shop capabilities—ensuring full AISC compliance while minimizing fabrication labor and field erection costs.
Engineering services delivered across Texas, Pennsylvania & New Jersey.
What Is Engineering & Connection Design in Structural Steel?
Connection design is the structural engineering process of calculating and detailing joints where steel members meet. Every beam-to-column, column-to-baseplate, beam-to-beam, and brace-to-gusset joint must safely transfer tension, compression, shear, and bending moments under specified loads.
Poorly detailed connections cause field fit-up failures, excessive shop welding, and project delays. Professional structural steel connection design translates contract load tables into actionable weld sizes, bolt quantities, plate thicknesses, and stiffener layouts that meet building code requirements and pass third-party inspections.
Standards and Codes We Follow
Every engineering calculation package produced by our firm adheres strictly to national structural codes and regional building specifications:
AISC 360
Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (ASD and LRFD methods).
AISC 341
Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings for high-seismic regions and moment-frame connections.
AISC Steel Construction Manual
Standardized connection design tables and procedures.
AWS D1.1
Structural Welding Code – Steel, governing weld sizing, filler metal requirements, and joint preparations.
RCSC Specifications
Research Council on Structural Connections specifications for high-strength bolting (A325, A490, F3125).
Our Connection Design Services.
Rydberg Engineering LLC offers complete calculation packages for all types of connection design steel structural requirements:
Shear Connection Design
Calculations and detailing for simple beam-to-beam and beam-to-column joints, including single-plate shear tabs, double angles, shear end plates, and seated connections.
Moment Connection Design
Engineering calculations for lateral-force-resisting systems (LFRS), including fully restrained (FR) and partially restrained (PR) moment connections, extended end plates, and flange-welded joints.
Vertical & Horizontal Bracing Connections
Load path calculations for heavy gusset plates, truss nodes, multi-member bracing hubs, and seismic bracing connections.
Base Plate & Anchor Rod Design
Engineering for column base plates under axial loads, shear forces, and overturning moments, including anchor rod embedment calculations and leveling plate designs.
Miscellaneous Steel Connection Design
Structural verification and connection engineering for stair stringers, handrails, equipment supports, industrial platforms, and roof framing supports.
Why Fabricators & Engineers Choose Rydberg Engineering LLC
Fabrication-Focused Engineering : We design joints to reduce shop labor—minimizing field welding, simplifying plate cuts, and using standard steel material sizes.
Licensed Engineering Coverage : Licensed Professional Engineers (PE) and Structural Engineers (SE) providing sealed calculation packages nationwide.
Fast Submittal Turnarounds : We work within tight submittal windows to keep shop drawing production on schedule.
EOR & Inspector Alignment : Clear, organized calculation reports that simplify review by the Engineer of Record and municipal building inspectors.
Scalable Project Support : We engineer connections for projects of any size, from simple single-story additions to complex industrial facilities and high-rises.
Our 5-Steps Detailing Process
Load Schedule & Plan Review
You submit structural contract drawings, EOR load tables, member schedules, and fabricator preferences.
Geometric & Load Analysis
We check joint geometry, clear constraints, and calculate governing design forces for every connection mark.
Calculations & Sketches
Our engineers complete limit-state calculations and generate connection detail sketches.
PE/SE Stamping & Submittal
We issue PE/SE sealed calculation packages for submittal to the EOR and general contractor.
Detailer Coordination
We coordinate directly with your steel detailers to ensure the calculated connection parameters are accurately reflected in the shop drawings.
Ensure your steel joints are engineered for safety, structural efficiency, and shop economy.
Types of Steel Connections We Engineer
Our engineers handle connection design steel solutions across all framing configurations:
Common Questions About Engineering & Connection Design
Find clear answers to the questions we hear most often from project managers, fabricators, and general contractors.
Save Time. Save Money. Save Materials.
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