Question about gusset plate welds and sizing gusset plates.

[faromic80]

I have a situation where I currently have a gusset plate welded to both the top (for vertical component of brace force) and bottom (for the horizontal component of shear force). The brace is at such a steep angle that the weld (length of the plate) in the vertical direction is about 16". This length is overkill since the force on the weld (including eccentricity of weld from center of column). I was thinking about making the plate smaller and moving it up along the column. I would have no horizontal weld then just a vertical. I've attached a sketch so you can see what I'm talking about. My question is what loads would now be acting on the weld. vertical and horizontal and then a moment correpsonding to the eccentricities on the attached sketch? Is that it?

 

[JAE]

There would be eccentricity between the center of the two weld groups:
weld group 1 - weld between brace and gusset
weld group 2 - weld between gusset and column.