Numerical Study on the Behavior of Central Gusset Plates in Inverted V-Brace Frames

Abstract Steel frames comprise a great range of structures where bracings are mostly used as the seismic motion control system. One of these systems is frames with inverted V-braces. The central gusset plate of such systems is one of the most important components in the seismic design of structures. Using a suitable gusset plate can increase ductility and strength of the frame extensively. In this paper, a numerical model of central connection of a frame containing inverted V-brace is used. The brace is buckling restrained and is modeled with the finite element software. The results of pushover analysis of this model are compared with experimental results. In this article, the effects of the gusset plate dimensions on buckling capacity and ductility have been investigated and the optimum ratio of width to thickness is obtained. One of the cases controlled is brace position relative to the free bending line, and effects on the frame strength and ductility have been checked. In addition, welded and bolted connections have been compared. The results show that, to gain the best strength and ductility, braces should be extended to twice the thickness of the gusset plate after the free bending line. In addition, welded connections have a better performance than bolted ones with regard to ductility and strength.

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