HouseWright
I agree. I know there are different regional framing styles, but un-pegged braces is not something that I’ve seen often in the NE. This could be likened to the scarf over brace or scarf over post issue?

Timbo,
I think you’ll find that the brace mortise and tenon joint failure mode is controlled by the tenon relish. I believe that the research by Dick Schmict’s and other’s support this conclusion. Ed Levin has also written a few articles on the engineering implications of allowing braces to carry tension, and conversely not allowing the braces to carry tension. The problem with allowing the brace tenon joint to fail mathematically in tension or to carry no tension load or do to actual loading, is that the only other load carrying mechanism that is available is post bending and/or girder bending. We’ve tried to mathematically release the tension capacity of the brace and have had trouble accommodating the addition loading on the frame. There are obviously issues with trying to accommodate high tension loads on your typical brace arrangement.

I would like to hear how other engineers who participate in this forum handle this problem. This has been one of the most difficult TF engineering problems for me. I try to design what I consider ‘well braced’ buildings. I use lots of braces and ‘deep’ braces were I can, but the brace tension issue will not go away.

I’m not sure if there is a benefit of starting another thread in the TF engineering forum to further discuss this or continue here?

Thanks, pete