Strength Determination and Fracture Characteristics of Bolted Connections
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 9
Abstract
Bolted connections are commonly used for attaching structural elements in various civil and mechanical engineering applications. Despite their popularity, various studies raised concerns over the adequacy of design provisions in capturing connection strength. Design provisions to accurately predict connection strength could be refined through experimental tests and/or the use of highly nonlinear analysis that can simulate stress redistribution and ductile fracture in the connections. Recently, an effective numerical method for accurately predicting ductile fracture of bolted connections under any stress state was proposed and validated. In this study, using the validated numerical prediction framework, a comprehensive study on typical bolted connections is conducted. Parameters relevant to connection behavior, including bolt spacing in the tensile and shear planes as well as the edge/end distances, are varied in the analysis. It is found that plastic bearing deformations facilitate shear fracture initiation, and significant uneven stress might occur along the shear failure path. Based on the findings, new design equations pertaining to bolted connection strength are proposed. The design equations not only indicate better correlation with the experimental data than current code equations but also reflect more accurately the actual failure mechanisms in the connections. The results can be useful for assessing in-service connections and achieving reliable yet economical structural design at a consistent safety level.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all of the data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
References
Aalberg, A., and P. K. Larsen. 1999. Strength and ductility of bolted connections in normal and high strength steels. N-7034. Trondheim, Norway: Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology.
Aalberg, A., and P. K. Larsen. 2001. “Bearing strength of bolted connections in high strength steel.” In Proc., 9th Nordic Steel Construction Conf., 859–866. Hervanta, Finland: Tampere Univ. of Technology.
AIJ (Architectural Institute of Japan). 1990. Standard for limit state design of steel structures. Tokyo: AIJ.
AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction). 1999. Load and resistance factor design specification. Chicago: AISC.
AISC-LRFD (American Institute of Steel Construction-Load and Resistance Factor Design). 2005. Load and resistance factor design specification for structural steel buildings. Chicago: AISC-LRFD.
AISC-LRFD (American Institute of Steel Construction-Load and Resistance Factor Design). 2010. Specification for structural steel buildings. Chicago: AISC-LRFD.
AISC-LRFD (American Institute of Steel Construction-Load and Resistance Factor Design). 2015. Specification for structural steel buildings. Chicago: AISC-LRFD.
AS (Australian Standards). 1998. Steel structures. AS 4100. Sydney, Australia: AS.
Bai, Y., and T. Wierzbicki. 2010. “Application of extended Mohr–Coulomb criterion to ductile fracture.” Int. J. Fract. 161 (1): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-009-9422-8.
Birkemoe, P. C., and M. I. Gilmor. 1978. “Behavior of bearing-critical double-angle beam connections.” Eng. J. 15 (4): 109–115.
Bjorhovde, R., and S. K. Chakrabarti. 1985. “Tests of full-size gusset plate connections.” J. Struct. Eng. 111 (3): 667–684. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(1985)111:3(667).
Cai, Q., and R. G. Driver. 2002. End tear-out failures of bolted tension members. Edmonton, Canada: Univ. of Alberta.
CEN (European Committee for Standardization). 2005. Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures—Part 1–8: Design of joints. EN 1993-1-8:2005. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
Clements, D. D. A., and L. H. Teh. 2013. “Active shear planes of bolted connections failing in block shear.” J. Struct. Eng. 139 (3): 320–327. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000626.
CSA (Canadian Standards Association). 2016. Limit states design of steel structures. CAN/CSA-S16-09. Toronto: CSA.
Deutschman, A. D., W. J. Michels, and C. E. Wilson. 1975. Machine design: Theory and practice. New York: Macmillan.
Driver, R. G., G. Y. Grodin, and G. L. Kulak. 2006. “Unified block shear equation for achieving consistent reliability.” J. Constr. Res. 62 (3): 210–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2005.06.002.
Fang, C., A. C. Lam, M. C. Yam, and K. S. Seak. 2013. “Block shear strength of coped beams with single-sided bolted connection.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 86 (Jul): 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2013.03.019.
Fisher, J. W., T. V. Galambos, G. L. Kulak, and M. K. Ravindra. 1978. “Load and resistance factor design criteria for connectors.” J. Struct. Div. 104 (9): 1427–1441. https://doi.org/10.1061/JSDEAG.0004986.
Franchuk, C. R., R. G. Driver, and G. Y. Grondin. 2002. Block shear behavior of coped steel beams. Edmonton, AB: Univ. of Alberta.
Franchuk, C. R., R. G. Driver, and G. Y. Grondin. 2003. “Experimental investigation of block shear failure in coped steel beams.” Can. J. Civ. Eng. 30 (5): 871–881. https://doi.org/10.1139/l03-044.
Franchuk, C. R., R. G. Driver, and G. Y. Grondin. 2004. “Reliability analysis of block shear capacity of coped steel beams.” J. Struct. Eng. 130 (12): 1904–1913. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(2004)130:12(1904).
Hardash, S. G. 1984. Gusset plate design utilizing block-shear concepts. Tucson, AZ: Univ. of Arizona.
Huns, B. B. S., G. Y. Grondin, and R. G. Driver. 2002. Block shear behavior of bolted gusset plates. Edmonton, AB: Univ. of Alberta.
Kanvinde, A., and G. Deierlein. 2006. “The void growth model and the stress modified critical strain model to predict ductile fracture in structural steels.” J. Struct. Eng. 132 (12): 1907. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(2006)132:12(1907).
Kato, B. 2003. “Unified strength evaluation of bolted joints.” J. Struct. Constr. Eng. 67 (551): 125–132. https://doi.org/10.3130/aijs.67.125_1.
Kennedy, D. J. L., and M. Gad Aly. 1980. “Limit states design of steel structures—Performance factors.” Can. J. Civ. Eng. 7: 45–77. https://doi.org/10.1139/l80-005.
Kim, H. J., and J. A. Yura. 1999. “The effect of ultimate-to-yield ratio on the bearing strength of bolted connections.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 49 (3): 255–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0143-974X(98)00220-X.
Kim, T. S., H. Kuwamura, and T. J. Cho. 2008. “A parametric study on ultimate strength of single shear bolted connections with curling.” Thin-Walled Struct. 46 (1): 38–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2007.08.009.
Lam, A. C., C. Fang, M. C. Yam, W. Wang, and V. P. Iu. 2015. “Block shear strength and design of coped beams with double bolt-line connections.” Eng. Struct. 100 (Oct): 293–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2015.06.019.
Moze, P., and D. Beg. 2010. “High strength steel tension splices with one or two bolts.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 66 (8–9): 1000–1010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2010.03.009.
Moze, P., and D. Beg. 2014. “A complete study of bearing stress in single bolt connections.” J. Constr. Res. 95 (Apr): 126–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2013.12.002.
Mullin, D. 2002. “Gusset plates as energy dissipaters in seismically loaded structures.” Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Alberta.
Nast, T. E., G. Y. Grondin, and J. J. R. Cheng. 1999. Cyclic behavior of stiffened gusset plate-brace member assemblies. Edmonton, AB: Univ. of Alberta.
Pluvinage, G., and J. Capelle. 2014. “On characteristic lengths used in notch fracture mechanics.” Int. J. Fract. 187 (1): 187–197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10704-013-9924-2.
Puthli, P., and O. Fleischer. 2001 “Investigations on bolted connections for high strength steel members.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 57 (3): 313–326. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0143-974X(00)00017-1.
Rabinovitch, J. S., and J. J. R. Cheng. 1993. Cyclic behavior of steel gusset plate connections. Edmonton, AB: Univ. of Alberta.
Ravindra, M. K., and T. V. Galambos. 1978. “Load and resistance factor design for steel.” J. Struct. Div. 104 (9): 1337–1353. https://doi.org/10.1061/JSDEAG.0004981.
Rex, C. O., and W. S. Easterling. 2003. “Behavior and modeling of a bolt bearing on a single plate.” J. Struct. Eng. 129 (6): 792–800. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(2003)129:6(792).
Ricles, J. R., and J. A. Yura. 1983 “Strength of double-row bolted web connections.” J. Struct. Div. 109 (1): 126–142. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(1983)109:1(126).
Salih, E. L., L. Gardener, and D. A. Nethercot. 2011. “Bearing failure in stainless steel bolted connections.” Eng. Struct. 33 (2): 549–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2010.11.013.
Saykina, V., T. Nguyenb, J. Hajjar, D. Deniz, and J. Songe. 2020. “The effect of triaxiality on finite element deletion strategies for simulating collapse of full-scale steel structures.” Eng. Struct. 210 (May): 110364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2020.110364.
Schmidt, B. J., and F. M. Bartlett. 2002. “Review of resistance factor for steel: Resistance distributions and resistance factor calibration.” Can. J. Civ. Eng. 29 (1): 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1139/l01-082.
Teh, L. H., and E. U. Mehmet. 2016. “Combined bearing and shear-out capacity of structural steel bolted connections.” J. Struct. Eng. 142 (11): 04016098. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001573.
Teh, L. H., and M. Uz. 2014 “Effect of loading direction on the bearing capacity of cold-reduced steel sheets.” J. Struct. Eng. 140 (12): 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001107.
Udagawa, K., and T. Yamada. 1998. “Failure modes and ultimate tensile strength of steel plates jointed with high-strength bolts.” J. Struct. Constr. Eng. Archit. Inst. Jpn. 505 (Mar): 115–122. https://doi.org/10.3130/aijs.63.115_1.
Udagawa, K., and T. Yamada. 2004. “Ultimate Strength and failure modes of tension channels jointed with high-strength bolts.” In Proc., 13th World Conf. on Earthquake Engineering. Vancouver, BC, Canada: Canadian Association of Earthquake Engineering.
Wei, F., M. C. Yam, K. F. Chung, and G. Y. Grondin. 2010. “Tests on block shear of coped beams with a welded end connection.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 66 (11): 1398–1410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2010.05.010.
Wen, H., and H. Mahmoud. 2016a. “New model for ductile fracture of metal alloys. I: Monotonic loading.” J. Eng. Mech. 142 (2): 04015088. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0001009.
Wen, H., and H. Mahmoud. 2016b. “New model for ductile fracture of metal alloys. II: Reverse loading.” J. Eng. Mech. 142 (2): 04015089. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0001010.
Wen, H., and H. Mahmoud. 2017. “Simulation of block shear fracture in bolted connections.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 134 (Jul): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2017.03.006.
Whitmore, R. E. 1952. Experimental investigation of stresses in gusset plates. Knoxville, TN: Univ. of Tennessee.
Yam, M. C., G. Y. Grondin, F. Wei, and K. F. Chung. 2011. “Design for block shear of coped beams with a welded end connection.” J. Struct. Eng. 137 (8): 811–821. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000343.
Yam, M. C., Y. C. Zhong, A. C. Lam, and V. P. Iu. 2007. “An investigation of the block shear strength of coped beams with a welded clip angle connection—Part II: Numerical study.” J. Constr. Steel Res. 63 (1): 116–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2006.03.010.
Yan, S., and X. Zhao. 2018. “A fracture criterion for fracture simulation of ductile metals based on micro-mechanisms.” Theor. Appl. Fract. Mech. 95 (Jun): 127–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2018.02.005.
Yang, K. C., R. J. Hsu, and C. F. Hsu. 2013 “Effect of end distance and bolt number on bearing strength of bolted connections at elevated temperature.” Int. J. Steel Struct. 13: 635–644. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13296-013-4005-y.
Yura, J. A., P. C. Birkemoe, and J. M. Ricles. 1982 “Double angle beam web connections: An experimental study.” J. Struct. Div. 108 (Feb): 311–325. https://doi.org/10.1061/JSDEAG.0005873.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 9 • September 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 17, 2020
Accepted: Mar 22, 2021
Published online: Jul 5, 2021
Published in print: Sep 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Dec 5, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.