Gusset Plate Settings

Gusset plate settings for thicknesses, edge distances, cut types, and more.

General settings

Minimum gusset plate thickness: The minimum gusset plate thickness to be applied to system connection gusset plates on horizontal and vertical braces.

Maximum gusset plate thickness: The maximum gusset plate thickness to be applied to system connection gusset plates on horizontal and vertical braces.

Round gusset plate length/width to greatest: The distance by which you want connection design to increment the length and width of gusset plates (e.g., 1/2 makes connection design round up to the nearest half inch).

Minimum edge distance for ...

3/4 inch (20 mm) diameter bolts: The distance from the edge of the gusset plate to the center of the nearest hole. The "NM bolt diameter" (horizontal brace) or "NM bolt diameter" (vertical brace) sets the bolt diameter.
7/8 inch (22 mm) diameter bolts:
1 inch (24 mm) diameter bolts:
1 1/8 inch (27 mm) diameter bolts:
> 1 1/8 inch (27 mm) diameter bolts:

ed = edge distance for bolting the interior of the gusset plate to the brace. A vertical brace is shown. The " Minimum edge distance for xx diameter bolts " entered here also applies to horizontal braces.

ed = edge distance for the framing edge of a gusset when the gusset fastens to the supporting member with a clip angle. A vertical brace is shown. The " Minimum edge distance for xx diameter bolts " entered here also applies to horizontal braces.

Corner clip size: A distance. SDS2 connection design applies the value that is entered here as the " Corner clip " in the " Gusset Column Cap " leaf when " Corner clip " is unlocked ( ). " Corner clip " is unlocked by default.

A corner clip is a 45 degree clip cut to the gusset plate at the corner where the gusset plate, column plate and column meet. A " Corner clip " of ' 0 ' makes the corner square (not cut).The corner clip distance is measured perpendicular to or parallel with the work line of the supporting column, from one corner of the clip cut to the other.

Connection Design Locks
Brace Material
(connection)
Leaf Name Lock
angle, tee, channel   Gusset Column Cap Corner clip
stem-vertical tee Gusset Column Cap Corner clip
web-vertical wide flange
(standard)
Gusset Column Cap Corner clip
web-vertical wide flange
(paddle plates)
Gusset Column Cap Corner clip
web-horizontal wide flange
(claw angles)
Gusset Column Cap Corner clip

Minimum shoulder width for bolted and welded end fittings: A distance that sets the minimum dimension from the edge of brace, or additional brace connection material if required, to the shoulder of the gusset. Bolted connections use the "bolted end fittings " setup field in the Gusset Plate Settings window, whereas welded connections use the " welded end fittings " setup field to determine minimum shoulder width.

Vertical brace options

Clip end operation on angle brace gusset plates: or . This applies when " Clip end operation " is set to ' Automatic ' under " Connection specifications" on the Vertical Brace Edit window. It applies to a vertical brace whose " Section size " is an angle (L). The option applies to most vertical brace framing situations , but not to an intersection plate or a brace that is perpendicular to the supporting member. If the connection is for a " Seismic brace ," the gusset plate will always be clipped, regardless of the choice made here or to " Clip end operation " on the Vertical Brace Edit window..

The choice made here gives you a different set of connection design locks in Modeling
  Clip end ...
  Clip end ...

Connection Design Locks for Angle Vertical Braces
    Clip end ...   Clip end ...
to a beam Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to a column Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to a beam & col Gusset Beam Column Gusset Beam Column Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square
to column & plate Gusset Column Cap Gusset Column Cap Square

If this box is checked ( ), connection design performs a ' Clip ' operation on the gusset plate to create an edge perpendicular to the vertical brace. This may not work if the angle (number of degrees) to the supporting beam or column is too small.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design does not perform the ' Clip ' operation, and the gusset comes to a point over the vertical brace.

Clip end operation on W tee brace gusset plates: or . This applies when " Clip end operation " is set to ' Automatic ' under " Connection specifications " on the Vertical Brace Edit window. The option applies to vertical braces whose " Section size " is a W tee (WT) and whose "Stem orientation" is ' Horizontal '. The option applies to most vertical brace framing situations , but not to an intersection plate or a brace that is perpendicular to the supporting member.

The choice made here gives you a different set of connection design locks in Modeling
Clip end ...
Clip end ...

Connection Design Locks for W Tee Vertical Braces (stem horizontal)
  Clip end ... Clip end ...
to a beam Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to a column Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to a beam & col Gusset Beam Column Gusset Beam Column Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square
to column & plate Gusset Column Cap Gusset Column Cap Square

If this box is checked ( ), connection design performs a ' Clip ' operation on the gusset plate to create an edge perpendicular to the vertical brace.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design does not perform the ' Clip ' operation, and the gusset comes to a point over the vertical brace.

Clip end operation on channel brace gusset plates: or . This applies when " Clip end operation " is set to ' Automatic ' under " Connection specifications " on the Vertical Brace Edit window. The option applies to vertical braces whose " Section size " is a channel (C or MC). It applies to most vertical brace framing situations , but not to an intersection plate or a brace that is perpendicular to the supporting member.

The choice made here gives you a different set of connection design locks in Modeling
Clip end ...
Clip end ...

Connection Design Locks for Channel Vertical Braces
  Clip end ... Clip end ...
to a beam Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to a column Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to a beam & col Gusset Beam Column Gusset Beam Column Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square
to column & plate Gusset Column Cap Gusset Column Cap Square

If this box is checked ( ), connection design performs a ' Clip ' operation on the gusset plate to create an edge perpendicular to the vertical brace.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design does not perform the ' Clip ' operation, and the gusset comes to a point over the vertical brace.

Horizontal brace options

Gusset cut type around column: Coped or Clipped . This applies when ' Automatic ' is selected for " Gusset cut " under " Connection specifications " on the Horizontal Brace Edit window. The option applies when a horizontal brace connects to the top flanges (shown) or webs (not shown) of two beams with an interposed column.

' Coped '
' Clipped '

' Coped ' specifies that connection design make two cuts to the gusset plate so that it clears the interposed column.

' Clipped ' instructs connection design to make a single diagonal cut on the gusset plate so that it clears the interposed column. As can be seen in the illustration above, a larger gusset plate is likely to be designed when the ' Clipped ' option is selected.

Gusset cut type to beam interface: Coped or Clipped . This applies when ' Automatic ' is selected for " Gusset cut " under " Connection specifications " on the Horizontal Brace Edit window. The option applies when a horizontal brace connects to the top flanges (shown) or webs (not shown) of two beams.

' Coped '
' Clipped '

' Coped ' specifies that connection design make two cuts to the gusset plate.

' Clipped ' instructs connection design to make a single diagonal cut on the gusset plate.

Clip end operation on angle brace gusset plates: or . This applies when " Clip end operation " is set to ' Automatic ' under " Connection specifications " on the Horizontal Brace Edit window. The brace's " Section size " must be an angle (L). The option applies to most horizontal brace framing situations , but not to an intersection plate or a horizontal brace perpendicular to a beam


The choice made here gives you a different set of connection design locks in Modeling
Clip end ...
Clip end ...

Connection Design Locks for Single Angle Horizontal Braces
  Clip end ... Clip end ...
to bm flange Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to bm web Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
bm-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
bm-col-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square

Connection Design Locks for Double Angle Braces
  Clip end ... Clip end ...
to bm flange Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to bm web Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
bm-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
bm-col-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square

If this box is checked ( ), connection design performs a ' Clip ' operation on the gusset plate to create an edge perpendicular to the horizontal brace. For adjusting the gusset plate, you will get connection design locks with their containing leaf named as in the tables above.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design does not perform the ' Clip ' operation, and the gusset comes to a point over the horizontal brace.

Clip end operation on W tee brace gusset plates: or . This applies when " Clip end operation " is set to ' Automatic ' under " Connection specifications " for a horizontal brace whose " Section size " is a W tee (WT). The option applies to most horizontal brace framing situations , but not to an intersection plate or a horizontal brace perpendicular to a beam.

The choice made here gives you a different set of connection design locks in Modeling
Clip end ...
Clip end ...

Connection Design Locks for W Tee Horizontal Braces
  Clip end ... Clip end ...
to bm flange Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to bm web Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
bm-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
bm-col-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square

If this box is checked ( ), connection design performs a ' Clip ' operation on the W tee horizontal brace gusset plate to create an edge perpendicular to the horizontal brace.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design does not perform the ' Clip ' operation, and the gusset comes to a point over the W tee horizontal brace.

Clip end operation on Wflg brace gusset plate: This applies when " Clip end operation " is set to ' Automatic ' under " Connection specifications " for a horizontal brace whose " Section size " is a wide flange (W). The option applies to most horizontal brace framing situations , but not to an intersection plate or a horizontal brace perpendicular to a beam.

The choice made here gives you a different set of connection design locks in Modeling
Clip end ...
Clip end ...

Connection Design Locks for Wide Flange Horizontal Braces
  Clip end ... Clip end ...
to bm flange Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
to bm web Gusset One Member Gusset One Member Square
bm-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
bm-col-bm corner Gusset To Two Beams Gusset To Two Beams Square
shared gusset Gusset 2 Point Gusset 2 Point Square

If this box is checked ( ), connection design performs a ' Clip ' operation on each wide flange horizontal brace gusset plate to create an edge perpendicular to the horizontal brace.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design does not perform the ' Clip ' operation, and each gusset comes to a point over the wide flange horizontal brace.

  • The position of these form buttons on the screen tells you what settings they apply to. Click here for more information.
  • You can Copy ( ) the settings on this screen , then Paste ( ) those settings to a different screen of the same type.
  • Save ( ) saves a file to a global folder ( ) that is used by your current version of SDS2. Give the file a name that will help other users identify its purpose. Load ( ) replaces the settings on this screen with the settings that are stored in the file that you select.
  • When editing multiple screens at the same time, Paste and Load replace mixed entries to a single field with a single entry. Copy and Save ignore fields with mixed entries, treating them as if they have no entry or do not exist.

OK (or the Enter key) closes this screen and applies the settings.

Cancel (or the Esc key) closes this screen without saving any changes.

Reset undoes all changes made to this screen since you first opened it. The screen remains open.