Tubular Truss – Cross-Connection with rectangular HSS

Steel Design Guide 24 - Example 8.3

References

Packer, Jeffery A., Donald Sherman, and Maura Lecce. Design Guide 24: Hollow Structural Section Connections. Chicago, IL: American Institute of Steel Construction, 2010.

Details

From the reference:

Determine the adequacy of the welded HSS connection illustrated in Figure 8-8 subject to the loads indicated. The connection behaves as a planar cross-connection because the punching load is transmitted through the chord member and is equilibrated by branch member forces on the opposite side of the chord. The two branches on one side of the chord, having a gap at the branch toes of 0.960 in. (just sufficient for welding), can be considered to have a composite effect on the chord. Assume the welds are strong enough to develop the yield strength of the connected branch wall at all locations around the branch.

Refer to the figure in the reference for additional details.

Results

Table 1.
Parameter RAM Connection Reference Difference
Local yielding of chord sidewalls capacity (kips) 474.27 442 None
Local crippling of chord sidewalls capacity (kips) 150.71 75.4 None
Local yielding of branch due to uneven load distribution (kips) 209.17 209 None