Bolted and Welded Stainless Steel Connections

Results are presented from tests and analyses of bolted connections in half-hard type 301 stainless steel, butt weldments, and transverse and longitudinal fillet welded connections in quarter and half-hard type 301 stainless steel. Material thickness ranged from 0.021 to 0.62 in. (0.53 to 1.57 mm). Expressions are given for the average failure loads or stresses for the connections as a function of the appropriate material properties and geometric parameters. These failure loads or stresses can be reduced by appropriate safety factors to arrive at allowable design stresses for connections in cold rolled stainless steel. The welded specimen test results indicate that the use of annealed material yield strength values for the design of welded connections in cold rolled stainless steel is overly conservative.