Allowable Cope Dimensions of a WT

[BamaStrucPESE]

I'm working on a structural assessment of an existing process structure. There is a WT vertical brace that frames into the web of a column and the stem of the WT is coped near the connection, so as not to run into the flange of the column.

My question, at what point down the length of the brace will the stem and full cross section be under tension/compression. I thought it might work like a reverse whitmore section, 30 degrees from the last line of bolts would determine the effective section but I wasn't sure. As an alternate, is there an "Allowable Cope Dimension" of a WT that would allow me to say the WT is of and doesn't need to be stiffened.

We aren't analyzing the structure with current or original loads, there is a large amount of corrosion and we are returning the members to their original cross section.

Thank you

 

[TLHS]

If you aren't doing any load checks, presumably you aren't checking member sizes in general. If that's the case, why are you checking this specific detail?

You may be overthinking this. You mentioned tension *and* compression and a WT is a pretty big cross section for a tension only brace. If it's designed for tension and compression, the governing limit state is going to be buckling at the midpoint (or quarter points, I guess, if a cross brace effectively braces out of plane loads). If the coped area is large enough to hold the buckling strength of the brace (including any shear lag requirements) then you should generally be okay in this case.