Study of the Ultimate Load Capacity of K-Type Tube-Gusset Plate Connections

In order to investigate the ultimate load capacity of K-type tube-gusset plate connections with stiffened plate, the static tests of five full-scale specimens were conducted in this study. The results indicate that the end stiffened plate is critical for improving the load capacity of the connections. In addition, the parametric nonlinear finite element analysis of the K-type tube-gusset plate specimens was performed with account of such non-dimensional parameters as chord diameter-to-thickness ratio (γ), plate width-to-chord diameter ratio (α), plate thickness-to-chord thickness ratio (\(\tau_{1}\)), stiffened plate thickness (t_d), and nominal-to-yield stress ratio (η). The above analysis implies that the ultimate load capacity decreases with the increment of γ and increases with the increment of α and \(\tau_{1}\), while it is only slightly affected by the stiffened plate thickness. Compare the results of the finite element analysis with assessment by design guides existing. Based on the former results, an equation for estimating the load capacity of K-type tube-stiffened gusset plate is proposed.