Why is the Whitmore effective width heuristic applied to brace-to-gusset plates instead of tying capacity solely to the bolt line?

Choices

• (A) It spreads axial demand across a tributary wedge of plate before rupture/block-shear checks
• (B) Bolts dominate every failure mode ignoring plate net area
• (C) Gusset plates never exhibit net-section tension rupture
• (D) Brace angles never engage more than two bolt holes