Stiffened HSS End Plate 1

[DerekRChristian]

I can't for the life of me figure out how to correctly model and analyze this connection. I have a 4x4x3/8 square HSS tube with an 8x8xx1/2" plate fillet welded to the end.
This plate is then bolted at the corners to the main structure. I've attached a sketch.

Unstiffened, the plate is overstressed almost 200%, but I need to take the stiffeners into account. How can I figure this out?

 

[CANPRO]

JoshPlum, thank you for circling around with the follow up, very much appreciated.

 

[MIStructE_IRE]

I have designed a lot of things using koot’s approach. It is a reasonable thing to do in my view and steel connections have been around long before FEA!

I always like the line in the istructe’s aims of structural design - “no engineer need be more clever than is necessary”

 

[Ron247]

Not my specialty, but I lean towards reinforcing in lieu of a more involved analysis method.

1. Can you cut 2 C-shaped pieces of plate, wrap around your tube, set on the original base plate and weld the devil out of it? Bending moment should increase as you move towards the resisting element (tube).

2. Put a stiffener in each corner running directly at the bolt along with 2 stiffeners per side. You need to attract load to several directions.

3. Plate around the base of the column to shorten your moment arm.