THE EFFECTS OF FRAME DEFORMATION ON WELDED GUSSET PLATES FOR DIAGONAL BRACING ELEMENTS LOADED IN TENSION

摘要

The effects of frame deformation on a gusset plate in a braced frame can be defined as the increases in stress in the gusset plate caused by the deformations of the beams and the columns of the braced frame. The hand-calculated approach for the design of gusset plates for diagonal bracing elements loaded in tension has traditionally neglected the frame deformation effects. A design example for a brace-beam-column gusset plate connection using the traditional hand-calculated approach is given in this paper. Two finite element approaches (one neglects the effects of frame deformation on the gusset plate while the other one considers the effects) are used to investigate the adequacy of the gusset plate designed by the hand-calculated approach. This study concludes that frame deformation effects have caused the increases in the von Mises and the first-principal stresses located at the Whitmore section of the gusset plate, as well as the increase in the combined effects of the factored tension and shear forces at the gusset edges. The traditional hand-calculated approach which neglects the frame deformation effects, therefore, may result in an under-design of the gusset plate.