BOLTED CONNECTIONS

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CONTENTS
Introduction
Bolted Connections
Bolts and Bolting
Force Transfer Mechanism
Failure of Connections
In shear
In tension
Combined shear and tension
Block shear

Teaching Resources IIT Madras, SERC Madras, An

CONTENTS -1

Analysis of Bolt Groups

Combined Shear and Moment in-Plane
Combined Shear and Moment out-of-plane
Beam and Column Splices
Beam to Column Connections
Beam to Beam Connections
Truss Connections
Fatigue Behaviour

Teaching Resources IIT Madras, SERC Madras, An

INTRODUCTION
Designed more conservatively than members because they are more
complex to analyse and discrepancy between analysis and design is
large
In case of overloading, failure in member is preferred to failure in
connection
Connections account for more than half the cost of structural steel
work
Connection design has influence over member design
Similar to members, connections are also classified as idealised types
Effected through rivets, bolts or weld
Codal Provisions

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TYPES OF CONNECTIONS
Classification based on type of resultant force transferred

(a)

(b)
Concentric Connections

(a)

(b)
Moment Connections

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TYPES OF CONNECTIONS -!

Classification based on type of force in the bolts

Single
shear
Double
shear
a) Lap Connection

b) Butt Connection

Shear Connections
support
(a)

(b)

Tension Connection and Tension plus Shear Connection

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BOLTS AND BOLTING

Bolt Grade: Grade 4.6 :- fu = 40 kgf/mm2 and fy = 0.6*40 = 24 kgf/mm2
Bolt Types: Black, Turned & Fitted, High Strength Friction Grip
Black Bolts:
usually Gr.4.6,
made snug tight,
ductile and cheap,
only static loads
Turned & Fitted;
Gr.4.6 to 8.8,
Close tolerance drilled holes,
0.2% proof stress
HSFG Bolts:
Gr.8.8 to 10.9,
less ductile,
excellent under dynamic/fatigue loads

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TIGHTENING OF HSFG BOLTS

1) Turn-of-nut Tightening
2) Calibrated Wrench Tightening
3) Alternate Design Bolt Installation
4) Direct Tension Indicator Method

turn
position
snug-tight
position

Tightening of HSFG bolts

(a) Standard

(b) Oversized

(c )Short Slot

(d) Long slot

Feeler gauge

Hole types for HSFG bolts

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FORCE TRANSFER MECHANISM

(a) Bearing Connection
T

Bearing stresses

(b) Friction Connection

T
Clamping Force, PO

Tension
in bolt

Frictional Force T
T
Clamping Force, PO

Bolt Shear Transfer Free Body Diagram

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BOLTS UNDER TENSION AND PRYING EFFECT

2T
Bearing type
connection

2T

(b) HSFG
Connection

To

To

To+T

To+T

2T
Bolt
force
B kN
Proof Load
Po

HSFG

B b
Bearing
type

Applied load 2T (kN)

( c) External Tension
versus bolt force

n
A

Q
Q
T+Q
T+Q
(d) Prying Effect

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PRYING EFFECT AND END PLATE DESIGN

Minimum prying force Q is given by

po wt 4
b
Q
T

2n
27nb 2

= 2 (non-preloaded)
= 1.5 for limit state design
w = width/pair of bolts
Po= proof load in consistent units

n is the minimum of end distance or n t p o

py

the minimum thickness of the plate is obtained as follows

M A Qn; M B Tb Qn M A M B Tb M p
2
1.15 4 M p
t min
py w

p y wt 2
Mp
1.15 4

The corresponding prying force can then be obtained as Q = Mp/n.

If the total force in the bolt (T+Q) exceeds the tensile capacity of the bolt,
then the thickness of the end plate will have to be increased.

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FAILURE OF CONNECTIONS
Shear Connections with Bearing Bolts

Fig. 9

(a) Shearing of Bolts

Ps = ps As where As = 0.8A
(b) Bearing on Bolts
Pbb = pbb d t
(c) Bearing on Plates

Zone of
plastification

Pbs = pbs d t e t pbs

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FAILURE OF CONNECTIONS-1

Shear Connections with HSFG Bolts

(a) Slip Resistance
Psl = 1.1 Ks po
Ks =1.0 (clearance hole)
= 0.45 (untreated surfaces)
po= proof load
(b) Bearing on Plates
Pbg = pbgd t 1/3 e t pbg

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DESIGN STRENGTHS FOR BOLTED CONNECTIONS

Table 1 Bolt Strengths in Clearance Holes in MPa
Bolt strengths
Shear strength ps
Bearing strength pbb
Tension strength pt

Bolt grade
4.6
8.8
160
375
435
970
195
450

Table 2 Bearing Strengths of Connected Parts in MPa

Steel grade

ST42S

Gr.43

Gr.50

Bearing bolts pbs

418

460

550

HSFG bolts pbg

650

825

1065

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COMBINED SHEAR AND TENSION

fs/Ps

(a) Bearing Bolts

1

fs
ft

1.4
Ps Pt
(a) HSFG Bolts

f sl
ft
0.8 1.0
Psl
Pt

0.4

ft/Pt
0.4

Shear and Tension

Interaction Curve

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BLOCK SHEAR FAILURE

A
Capacity=Shear Capacity of AB + Tension Capacity of BC

T 0.6 p y Ae ( AB ) 0.5 p y Ae ( BC )

T
Block Shear

T = (0.62 Avg fy/ M0 + Atn fu/ M1)

or
T= (0.62 Avn fu/ M1 + Atg fy/ M0)

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GENERAL ISSUES IN CONNECTION DESIGN

Assumptions in traditional analysis
Connection elements are assumed to
be rigid compared to the connectors
Connector behaviour is assumed to
be linearly elastic
Distribution of forces arrived at by
assuming idealized load paths
Provide stiffness according to the
assumed behaviour
ensure adequate ductility and rotation
capacity
provide adequate margin of safety

T
V

d
C

V
e

M = Td
(a)

(b)
Standard Connections (a) moment
connection (b) simple connection

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COMBINED SHEAR AND MOMENT IN PLANE

Rmi

Bolt shear due to Px and Py

Rxi = Px/n and Ryi = Py/n

x
ri

M = Px y + Py x
Rmi = k ri
Mi = k ri2
MR = k ri2 = k ri2
Bolt shear due to M
Rmi=M ri/ ri2

xi

Bolt group eccentrically

loaded in shear

Rmi cos i 2 R yi Rmi sin i 2

Myi

Ri x
2
2
n
(
x

y
i i )

Combined shear
Ri

Py

Mxi

2
2
n
(
x

i i )

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COMBINED SHEAR AND MOMENT OUT-OF-PLANE

Ti
d li
d/6
(a)

Li
NA
(b)

Li
C
(c)

Bolt group resisting out-of-plane moment

Ti = kli where k = constant
M = Ti Li = k l i L i
Ti = Mli/ li Li
Shear assumed to be shared equally and bolts
checked for combined tension+(prying)+shear

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BEAM AND COLUMN SPLICE

Strength, stiffness and ease in erection
Assumptions in
Rolled-section
& Plate Girders

(a)Conventional
Splice

(b) End-Plate
Splice

Bolted Beam Splice

Column Splices bearing type or HSFG moment splices

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BEAM-TO-COLUMN CONNECTIONS
(a) Simple transfer only shear at nominal eccentricity
Used in non-sway frames with bracings etc.
Used in frames upto 5 storeys
(b) Semi-rigid model actual behaviour but make analysis
difficult (linear springs or Adv.Analysis). However lead
to economy in member designs.
(c) Rigid transfer significant end-moments undergoing
negligible deformations. Used in sway frames for
stability and contribute in resisting lateral loads and
help control sway.

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BEAM-TO-COLUMN CONNECTIONS

(a)

e
V

(b)

(c)

Simple beam-to-column connections a) Clip and seating angle

b) Web cleats c) Curtailed end plate
(a) Economical when automatic saw and drill lines are available
Check end bearing and stiffness of seating angle
Clip angle used for torsional stability
(c) If depth of cleats < 0.6d design bolts for shear only
(d) Eliminates need to drill holes in the beam. Limit depth and thickness
t < /2 (Gr.8.8) and /3 (Gr.4.6)

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BEAM-TO-COLUMN CONNECTIONS
column
web
stiffeners

(a)

diagonal
stiffener

(b)

web
plate

(c)

Rigid beam-to-column connections a) Short end plate

b) Extended end plate c) Haunched

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BEAM-TO-BEAM AND
TRUSS CONNECTIONS
Beam-beam connections similar to beam-column connections
Moment continuity may be obtained between secondary beams
Check for torsion in primary beams
Splice
plate

Gusset
Plate
Gusset
Plate

(a) Apex Connection

support
(b) Support connection

Truss Connections

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FATIGUE BEHAVIOUR
Fatigue leads to initiation and growth of cracks under fluctuating stresses
even below the yield stress of the material (High-cycle fatigue)
Fatigue cracks grow from points of stress concentrations
To avoid stress concentrations in bolted connections
Use gusset plates of proper shape
Use match drilling
Use HSFG bolts
Fatigue also depends on range of stress fluctuations and reversal of stress
pre-tensioned HSFG avoid reversals but lead to fretting corrosion
Fatigue design carried out by means of an S-N curve on a log-log scale
Components are designed below the endurance limit

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Thank You

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