Gusset

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In engineering, a gusset is a structure designed to reinforce a joint where two or more disconnected parts meet, such as two steel beams. It is a plate that is placed on the exterior of the separate parts, such that an equal amount of area on the plate covers each part. It is then fastened using glue or rivets, etc.

If building a structure out of wood, a much stronger structure is yielded by connecting the joints with gussets as opposed to gluing the ends of the beams of wood together. Metal gusset plates are used with lightweight trusses. They may vary in size, but 18-gauge steel plates with 3/8" prongs is the standard. For firefighters, lightweight truss systems are particularly dangerous. Metal gusset plate connectors fail quickly when exposed to heat and fire. When the bottom chord or webbing fails due to fire damage or the gusset plate pulls out of the wood from the heat, the truss will fail. Since lightweight construction depends on the sum of all members for structural integrity, the potential for total building collapse is high.

Gusset is also used in manufacturing of tights (or pantyhose). It reinforces the top part of tights and also has hygienic function.

Gusset is also an alternate spelling of gousset, a component of late Medieval armor.

A gusset is a device used to add strength to a structure.