Beam knees and other bracketed connections 1

Abstract

This report describes the work carried out in the Ship Structure Laboratory of the Technological University, Delft, Netherlands, by the authors, in order to clarify the behaviour of beam knees and other bracketed connections under dynamic and static loads.

The report first gives a general view of the function of a beam knee or bracket in the structure of a ship. It explains the theory underlying the behaviour and influence of bracketed connections as applied to ship’s structural problems and the necessity of investigating dynamic load influence by tests.

The results of static and dynamic tests are analysed and a general view is given on the construction of adequate bracketed joints. Some tests give information about effective beam knee-connections, without the use of bracket- or gusset plates, by butt welding orthogonally connecting adjacent members.

An approximate calculation method is given for predicting bracket stresses.

Parts of this report were published by the authors in the bulletin of the “Association Technique Maritime et Aéronautique”, Paris, in 1959 and 1960 [17] and [18].