Bracing Design Length
Bracing Design Length
(OP)
When designing braces in your lateral system, is it acceptable to apply a length reduction factor to account for the shortening of the braces due to large gusset connections rather than using the work point to work point distance? With some of the gusset connections in the building I am working on, the buckling lengths of the columns could be reduced quite a bit and brace sizes ultimately trimmed down.
I would assume this is not common practice as it is not conservative, just was looking for some input. Any and all is appreciated. Thanks.
I would assume this is not common practice as it is not conservative, just was looking for some input. Any and all is appreciated. Thanks.






RE: Bracing Design Length
RE: Bracing Design Length
Design Guide for Hollow Structural Section Connections
Packer, Henderson
Canadian Institute for Steel COnstruction
Universal Offset Limited
Markham, Ontario, 1992
for HSS chord members in the plane of the truss AND in the plane perpendicular to the truss KL=0.9L, where for in plane action L is the length between panel points and for out of plane, the length between effective bracing points
for HSS web members, in and out of plane, KL=0.75 L
where L is measured at panel points.
RE: Bracing Design Length
RE: Bracing Design Length
Out of plane - the gussets don't do much for you at all as they are bending in the weak axis of the plate.
RE: Bracing Design Length
RE: Bracing Design Length
Other thing is that these K less than 1 might apply in generic terms to every kind of connection, say, with gusset plates. Surely risky statement.
RE: Bracing Design Length
If it is in a seismic zone, who ever is doing the connection design, will be very appreciative of a smaller brace.