Adjustable Bolted Steel Plate Connection: Measured Behavior of Bolts during Field Installation and Numerical Parametric Investigation
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper presents an experimental investigation of bolt behavior in adjustable bolted steel plate connections during field installation and a numerical finite-element (FE) parametric investigation of the impact of (1) bolt diameter; (2) plate thickness; and (3) member flange thickness on the strains induced in the plates and bolts during field installation. The adjustable connection consists of prefabricated cold-bent plates that are further bent during field installation (via bolt tightening) to form moment-resisting joints between steel members. The connection is adjustable because the bolt-tightening field installation process changes the connection angle in situ to accommodate additional angles or manufacturing and erection tolerances. This paper presents the residual bolt surface strains, measured using the full-field photographic technique digital image correlation, providing unprecedented information on the behavior of high-strength bolts. A FE modeling approach for predicting strains in the plates and bolts is developed and validated against measured data. Parametric studies are then performed using the validated FE models with varying bolt diameter, plate thickness, and member flange thickness. Research results are relevant to any misaligned (i.e., nonflush) bolted connections, offering insight into strains from force fitting.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CMMI-1351272. The support of Program Managers Dr. Kishor Mehta and Dr. Y. Grace Hsuan is gratefully acknowledged.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 2 • February 2020
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 14, 2018
Accepted: Apr 4, 2019
Published online: Nov 23, 2019
Published in print: Feb 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Apr 23, 2020
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