3/8/2012

BRACING FOR STABILITY

Joseph A. Yura
University of Texas at Austin

Todd A. Helwig
University of Houston

Sponsored by: Structural Stability Research Council

American Institute of Steel Construction

GENERAL BRACE REQUIREMENTS

STIFFNESS
o
CONNECTION DETAILS CAN BE DETRIMENTAL

STRENGTH
L
BRACE FORCES ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE
MAGNITUDE OF INITIAL OUT -OF-STRAIGHTNESS

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SIMPLE RULE

USE BRACE SYSTEM STIFFNESS AT LEAST

TWICE THE IDEAL VALUE

DESIGN THE BRACE AND ITS CONNECTIONS

FOR 0.4 % OF THE COMPRESSIVE FORCE
Beam

Column

RELATIVE BRACE DESIGN FRAMES

Brace Stiffness Brace Strength

( 2P/L ) ( 0.004 P )
L P1 P2 P3
ASD
F.S. = 2.0 4Ps Fbr = 0.004Ps
Pservice

LRFD
Factored P 2Pu FOR STIFFNESS AND STRENGTH
u Fbr = 0.004Pu
= 0.75 USE P

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GRAVITY BRACE SYSTEM STIFFNESS

EFFECT OF CONNECTION DETAILS

GRAVITY plus WIND

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BRACING FUNDAMENTALS SIMPLE RULE

COLUMN BRACING RECOMMENDATIONS IDEAL BRACE STIFFNESS REQUIREMENTS

LRFD ASD P P P
Factored Loads - Pu Service Loads - Ps
= 0.75 S.F. = 2.0

RELATIVE
BRACING

DISCRETE = Ni = Ni
BRACING
More braces require more stiffness ?!
Ni 4-(2/n)

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INEFFECTIVE TORSIONAL BRACE

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TORSIONAL BRACING

SECTION IS FULLY BRACED AT A LOCATION

IF TWIST IS PREVENTED

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 3/8/2012

BRACING FOR STABILITY

Joseph A. Yura
University of Texas at Austin

Todd A. Helwig
University of Houston

Sponsored by: Structural Stability Research Council

American Institute of Steel Construction