Unsupported Length of Beam when Using Tension Rod 1

[Lily_Linton]

Hello fellow engineers,

I'm just curious if we can reduce the lateral length of a beam if we are using tension rod as collector rather than a horizontal brace?

You see, I've been using horizontal brace like angles, HSS and WTs to limit the unsupported length but never tension rod. Most of the time, I used the tension rod with turnbuckles when use as a collector but connected to the post and not to the middle or part of the beam. Maybe because all the structures I did was in site D of ASCE and since tension rod are not used for bracing on those areas, I also never used tension rods for horizontal braces.

I hope you can shed some light on these.

 

[jayrod12]

If you have matching tension rods on each side of the beam to accommodate buckling in either direction, and each tension rod is connected back to something meaningful,then I don't see an issue with it.

 

[Lily_Linton]

So it will be unlike horizontal bracing that you can put on just one bay.

 

[jayrod12]

Correct, it would need to be on either side and terminate somewhere down the line. Beams can buckle in either direction, so you must have a method of resisting said buckling in each direction. It doesn't necessarily mean you need tension bracing each way, but you need something each way.