Structural joint connection providing blast resistance and a beam-to-beam connection resistant to moments, tension and torsion across a column

A disaster-resistant, beam-to-beam, structural joint connection, comprising,

• a column having sufficient strength to provide support for a structure such as a building, tower or similarly heavy structure;
• first and second beams disposed on opposite sides of said column;
• wherein each of said beams has one end thereof attached with respect to said column in a beam-to-column joint connection capable of transferring the gravity load on said beam to said column and having sufficient strength to develop axial tension substantially equal to the ultimate tensile capacity of said beam;
• wherein each said beam-to-column joint connection is also comprised of a moment-resisting connection between said beam and said column;
• wherein said moment-resisting connections are capable of resisting vertical moment loads on said beams, substantially equal to the ultimate vertical moment capacity of said beams;
• wherein the other end of each of said beams is disposed away from said column;
• wherein is included beam-to-beam connection means connecting said one end of each of said beams together;
• wherein said beam-to-beam connection means extends around both sides of said column without being welded directly to said column by vertical welds alone said column, to provide a moment-resisting, beam-to-column joint connection, nor attached directly to said column by angle irons nor bolts or rivets, to provide a moment-resisting or shear type beam-to-column joint connection;
• wherein said beam-to-beam connection means extend along opposite sides of both of said beams;
• and
• wherein said beam-to-beam connection means has sufficient strength to resist severe axial tension and moment loads on said beams, such as axial tension and moment loads caused by a “double-span” condition created by the loss of the support of said column, upon blasts, explosions, earthquakes, tornadoes and other disastrous events.

A structural joint connection comprising

• a column capable of providing permanent support for a building, tower and similarly heavy, structures;
• two beams similarly attached in a gravity load-carrying connection with respect to said column, on opposing sides of said column whereby said column provides support for said two beams and the gravity loads on said beams;
• wherein at least one of said two beams is attached to said column in at least a vertical moment-resisting connection;
• two gusset plates disposed opposite each other, on opposite sides of said beams and said column;
• wherein said gusset plates extend along opposite sides of both of said beams;
• wherein said gusset plates are not welded directly to said column by vertical welds alone said column, to provide a moment-resisting, beam-to-column joint connection, nor attached directly to said column by angle irons nor bolts or rivets, to provide a moment-resisting or shear type beam-to-column joint connection;
• wherein is included beam-to-beam connection means comprising each said gusset plate fixedly attached with respect to both said beams in an axial tension and moment-resisting connection having a strength substantially equal to the strength necessary to develop the ultimate tensile capacity and the ultimate flexural capacity of said beams.