Civil Engineering Association

This report presents information and tips on seismic behavior and design of gusset plates used in steel concentrically braced frames. Gusset plates are used in steel building structures to connect the bracing members to the beams or columns. Gusset plates are also used in connections of steel trusses. In this report, first a summary of behavior of steel gusset plates is presented. This summary is based on the information obtained from laboratory tests, investigation of performance during actual earthquakes and analytical studies. After presenting the summary of behavior, a chapter is devoted to discussion of provisions in the current design codes that are relevant to seismic design of gusset plates. Then, seismic design of gusset plates is presented.