Are welded connections are more structurally sound than bolted ones?
No, a properly designed bolted connection offers the same integrity as a welded connection. Both connections are covered in depth by the two major associations that govern steel design and construction in the U.S.: the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). The Interlock system is also engineered to meet the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI) 2002 design standards. A properly designed bolted connection offers as much protection as a system that uses welded connections.
