Re-evaluation of the shear criterion for RHS overlap joints

This paper deals with a proposal to revise the effective width terms in the brace shear criterion for overlap joints in rectangular hollow sections (RHS). The background to the design equations in ISO 14346 for the failure modes, brace effective width, chord M-N interaction and brace shear are described first. That is followed by the relation between overlap joints in circular hollow sections and those in rectangular hollow sections and those with an I- or H-section chord. Finally, it is shown that the effective width terms in the brace shear criterion can - in the case of 100 % overlap joints - be better related to the thickness of the overlapped brace. In the case of smaller overlaps, &lgr;ov, limit ≤ &lgr;ov ≤ 100 %, the effective width should also be related to the thickness of the overlapping brace, where &lgr;ov, limit depends on whether the hidden seam at the toe of the overlapped brace has been welded.