Net Section Tension Capacity of Bolted Connections in Cold-Reduced Steel Sheets
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper examines the accuracy of design equations specified in the North American, European and Australasian codes for cold-formed steel structures in determining the net section tension capacity of bolted connections in flat steel sheets. It points out that the shear lag factors embedded in the code equations either yield “anomalous” results or become irrelevant when they exceed unity. The “anomaly” was demonstrated through laboratory tests and is explained by using simple calculus. The configurations of specimens tested in the laboratory include single shear- and double-shear connections, with single or double bolts in a line parallel or perpendicular to the force. A proper mathematical expression for the in-plane shear lag factor, which does not suffer from the anomaly of the code equations and never implies shear lag factors greater than unity for any configuration, is presented and shown to yield improved results compared to the current specifications. The resistance factor of 0.8 for the proposed equation is computed with respect to the load and resistance factor design (LRFD) approach specified in the North American specification for the design of cold-formed steel structures.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank John Kralic, Manager, Lysaght Research & Technology, Bluescope Steel Limited, for supplying the G450 sheet steel materials used in the present work. The authors thank Gregory Hancock, Emeritus Professor, The University of Sydney, for his expert input and for providing crucial references concerning the state-of-the-art of bolted connection design in cold-formed sheet steel. The authors also thank Chris Cook, Dean of Engineering, and Muhammad Hadi, head of the Advanced Structural Engineering and Construction Materials Group, both of the University of Wollongong, for supporting the laboratory tests that were conducted in the High Bay Lab of the Faculty of Engineering. The test specimens were fabricated by Ritchie McLean.
References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 3 • March 2012
Pages: 337 - 344
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 11, 2011
Accepted: Aug 2, 2011
Published online: Aug 5, 2011
Published in print: Mar 1, 2012
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