Analytical Investigations on the Glulam Beam-to-Column Connections Reinforced with Knee Braces

Abstract

The glulam knee-braced frame structure is a type of the post-and-beam construction and has extensive application in real projects. The mechanical performance of the beam-to-column connection reinforced with knee brace has significant influence on the lateral behavior of the whole structure. However, there are limited studies on the mechanical behavior of the beam-to-column connections reinforced with knee braces. In this article, the analytical approach to calculating the load-carrying capacity of the connection with knee brace and its application to parameter study are presented and discussed. A good agreement between the experimental data and theoretical results can be achieved, but the theoretical results show some conservatism. Parameter study based on the analytical approach shows that the ultimate capacity of the connection is approximately proportional to the thickness of the knee brace. However, when the thickness of the knee brace is too large, the ultimate capacity of the connection is governed by the resistance of the glulam beam. Moreover, the ultimate capacity of the connection decreases with the decrease of the angle α (α = angle between the column and the knee brace) and the end distance of the knee brace s (s = distance between the centerline of the beam and the contact point of knee brace to column).