Brace-to-Beam Connections of Chevron-Concentrically Braced Frames in the Framework of prEN 1998-1-2:2022

The second generation of Eurocode 8 (i.e., EN 1998-1-2) introduces specific rules for the design of gusset plate connection of concentrically braced frame systems to accommodate the rotation imposed by the buckled braces and to resist the maxima effects of those in tension. Mid-span brace-to-beam gusset plate connections in chevron concentrically braced frames (Λ-CBFs) are also highly affected by the beam-to-brace interactions. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of new design rules, as well as to identify the realistic distribution of forces within the area of mid-span gusset plate connection. To this end, a set of gusset plate connections have been designed for a prototype inverted-V concentrically braced frame (Λ-CBFs) and analysed through finite element (FE) simulations. Preliminary results show that the designed connections effectively allow the expected performance of the braces. However, the distribution of internal forces into the main components of the connection is rather different from those given by the most common existing methods, thus further studies are required.