is it ok to use channel(toe down) as a horizontal bracing

[TTTKAO]

Hello Friends,

May I ask some suggestions here. Is there any technical concern to use an channel(toe down) as a horizontal bracing?
seem we seldom use it but i can't figure out any technical reasons. is there anybody have any suggestion about this.


Thank you in advance for you advice.

Archer

 

[ldeem]

As a practical matter channels wouldn't free span very far without running into slenderness issues. Secondly I noticed you are in mining, channel webs can be thin so wet material sitting on the back of a thin web would rust through faster than a thicker angle leg.

In my designs I have used angle with both toes pointing down where I can, which is usually cases where the brace is shop welded into a frame.

 

[hokie66]

Channel shapes can be used for bracing. The same rules apply as for other shapes.

 

[MotorCity]

It can be done but I would pay close attention to flexure and deflection in the weak axis. Using a channel in the horizontal, weak axis position is akin to a girt. Girts usually tend to sag under their own weight, ergo...sag rods. Also, if this is a mining application and there is a chance for dirt and debris to accumulate on the channel, it will make things much worse. Maybe not as bad if the channel is in tension, but for compression and flexure acting together......(hint: think Pdelta)

 

[TTTKAO]

Thank you all for the advices.

Have a nice day!

 

[JoshPlumSE]

I think Ideem had some good insight, but my old company insisted that WT's were cheaper than double angles for bracing.

 

[rb1957]

why did I misread the title as "camel ..." ? ... you figure it out !

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[EngDM]

I've used channels to brace for lateral loading on a structure before, but usually we provide sag rods since deflection becomes an issue.