Rigid vs flexiable connection design

[stillfan]

I have a frame where the axial header (horizontal member) is connected to the beam/column (vertical member). The connection consist of a simple shear connection at the web of the horizontal member and a more rigid (3 bolt) face plate connection to the vertical member. Is there guidlines used to determine rather this could be considered a rigid connection. In my model I have it shown as a rigid connection and I am trying to use it as a relative bracing point. I believe in order to do this it has to be a rigid connection. Please help with some guidance on where I can find this information, in order to make an educated design assumption.

Thank you

 

[a2mfk]

AISC gives guidance on this issue. I believe the quick and dirty is "rigid" equals "fully restrained", in which you must design it as a full moment connection. Pre-qualified AISC simple shear connections allow enough ductility in rotation to be assumed pinned.

Others may chime in with more exact sections in AISC to refer you to, but this is how I understand it.

 

[stillfan]

Chapter J "design of connections" and section B3.6 in the AISC detail it very well. Thank you