modifying rhs beam

[wrxsti]

hello eng tips community

i wanted your opinion on modifying an existing RHS Beam with RHS knee braces.

for new building load the RHS is not sufficient

proposal is to remove knee bracing put another beam under RHS connect at columns

reinstall knee bracing

the issue is can you cut the knee brace from the current rhs beam safely
and grind it down so allow proper mating of new underpinning beam.

 

[jayrod12]

Yes you can modify it, i.e. remove an existing knee brace and clean it up for new.

 

[wrxsti]

thanks jayrod12

 

[KootK]

If the knee bracing is currently part of the building's lateral bracing system, as is often the case, then some consideration should be given to what will be the building's lateral bracing system for the duration of the repair, until the knee bracing can be reinstated. This is very likely not a problem owing to:

1) These knee braces may be one of many parts of a lateral system distributed throughout and building and/or;

2) The plan may be to install some temporary erection bracing for the duration of the repair and/or

3) Erection case lateral loads are likely less than environmental lateral loads.

Still, I would hate to see somebody remove a brace willy-nilly and get crushed to death by a pancaked mezzanine etc.

 

[wrxsti]

thanks kootk noted