The maximum shear plate thickness is checked via AISC 360-10 chapter 10 under the "Extended Configuration" checks (page 10-104) to ensure that the moment strength of the plate does not exceed that of the bolt group (to help ensure ductility).
There are a couple exceptions to this, but I don't think the program is considering them. Can you confirm this?
- For a single vertical row the plate thickness is less than d.b/2 + 1/16" and L.eh>= 2*d.b
- For a double vertical row.... (same as above)
Also if the eccentricity "a" (from weld to center line of bolts) is less than 3.5" then the connection really isn't an "extended" plate. so this would be another exception (however the check is same)/
Ah, yep, sorry. I was looking at the wrong code addition. I set the design code to the 14th addition in the program, but I was reading the 13th edition. The 13th edition doesn't have the table (it only uses the d.b/2+1/16" requirement). They seem to change this section a little bit every addition. Probably easiest solution in my case is to make the holes SSLT.