MasterSeries Blog


MasterSeries 2019 Sneak Preview: Bracing connection

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On Tuesday, we held the sneak preview webinar of MasterSeries 2019, which is only weeks away, to share with you the upcoming main improvements. Now we would like to give you a deeper insight into the capabilities of the new bracing connections of MasterKey: Simple Connections 2019.

MasterKey: Moment & Simple Connections, are the UK's two leading programs for the design of steel connections and we always place a great emphasis on the development of the design capabilities to provide an overall solution.

Adding the bracing connections to the connection range, you are now able to cover another big part of structural joints with standard design.

Bracing connections has four main different configurations:

MasterKey: Simple Connections - Bracing connection types

Vertical bracing to column uses gusset plates with up to three bracing members per side. The middle brace can be replaced with by a beam with bracing members to the top or bottom of the beam.

Bracing can be connected to both column flanges or to both sides of the column web.

MasterKey: Simple Connections - Bracing to column connections

In the vertical bracing to column base connection type, the bracing member can again be connected to the column flanges or to the column web.

MasterKey: Simple Connections - Bracing to column base connections

Like in case of bracing to column type, in case of the vertical bracing to beam connection type we also have the option to choose between gusset only or with middle column configuration. If you choose the gusset plate only, up to three bracing members can be connected. In case of middle column version, we can connect the bracing member to the side or to both sides of the column.

MasterKey: Simple Connections - Vertical bracing to beam connections

In the case of an Angle (L) or double Angle main beam section, we have an extra option for connecting the gusset plate. It can be welded or bolted to the Angle beam section. This allows for the design of Angle truss connections.

MasterKey: Simple Connections - Angle truss connection

Into the horizontal bracing to beam connection, we can connect up to three horizontal bracing members to each side of the beam web.

MasterKey: Simple Connections - Horizontal bracing to beam connections

For the bracing member section, we can choose from a wild range of section types:

  • Flat plate
  • Angle or double angle
  • Channel section (RSC, PFC, ….)
  • Hollow section (RHS, CHS, SHS, ….)

In case of flat plate, angle and channel section, the bracing member can be connected with a simple bolted connection to the gusset plate, but in case of hollow section type we can choose between three different brace connection, which could be:

  • L PlateL Plate bracing connection
  • T Plate

    T Plate bracing connection
  • Embedded Plate (constant and tapered) Embedded Plate bracing connection Tapered Embedded Plate bracing connection

Bracing connections are completely calculated and checked according to the regulations of Eurocode 3.


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