Evaluation of the Effect of End-Connection Specifications on Lateral Bearing Capacity of Concentrically Braced Steel Frames

Concentrically braced steel frames should be capable of bearing considerable amounts of lateral force. The connection of these frames to beams and columns plays an important role in this respect. This connection is designed to either prevent end-connection problems caused by free buckling of a member or reinforce the gusset plate to reduce damages caused by possible buckling of a member at the connection. In order to assess seismic and buckling behaviors of braces under different conditions, 8 single-span one-story frames with diagonal braces were studied using a finite-element software. The first two models were implemented to assess the impact of end clearance, while the other six models were used to study the effects of different stiffeners on the gusset plates. Results showed that, proper incorporation of stiffeners can prevent early failure of the gusset plate connection and enhance post-buckling behavior.