Fatigue Failure of Bolted

Connections

by: Chris Meisl

 Presentation Outline

The Fatigue Process

 Sequence of Fatigue Failure
Behavior of Fatigue Loading
 S-N Curves
 Factors Affecting Fatigue
Bolted Connections in Tension
 Location of Failure
 Preloading and Contact Area
 Prying Action
Bolted Connections in Shear
 Preloading
 Stress Concentration and Failure
Locations
Anchor Bolts
Design Codes

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 What is Fatigue?

Caused by the repeated application

of loads that are not large enough to
cause failure in a single application.
Generally caused by repeated cycles
of tensile loading.
Failure occurs suddenly.

Fracture surface of a paper clip

broken by ~6 cycles of repeated
bending (80 X)

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 Stages of Fatigue Failure

Failure will only occur if the

following essential conditions are
present:
 Cyclic tensile loads
 Stress levels above a threshold
value
 Flaw in the material
Stages of fatigue failure:
1. Crack initiation
2. Crack growth
3. Crack propagation
4. Final rupture

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 Behaviour of Fatigue Loading

The fatigue life = the number of

S-N Curve for varying magnitude of
altering stress
repeated cycles of loading (N) that
a material will undergo before it
fails.
Higher the fatigue stress level, the
fewer number of loading cycles
required to cause failure.
Major factors that effect fatigue
life:
1. Shape of the connection
2. Magnitude of stress variations
3. Mean stress level
4. Choice of material

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 Bolted Connections in Tension – Failure Locations

Crack is initiated at areas of high stress concentrations.

Potential failure sites:
a. Head-shank transition
b. Run-out of thread
c. Thread at nut
Failure is most likely to occur at the first engagement of the threads of
the bolt and nut.

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 Bolted Connections in Tension – Influences

The magnitude of the load on the

bolt depends on:
1. The magnitude of the external
tension load.
2. The bolt-to-joint stiffness ratio
(KB/KJ).
3. Whether or not the external tension
load exceeds the critical load
required to separate the joint
(depends on initial preloading).
4. Location of the contact area.

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 Bolted Connections in Tension – Non Preloaded Bolts

The external tensile force Ft applied on the connection will be transferred directly
to the bolts, Fb.

Flange connection with non-preloaded bolts

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 Bolted Connections in Tension – Preloaded Bolts

Preload decreases the load variation in the bolt, until the contact forces Fc
are exceeded.

Flange connection with preloaded bolts

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 Bolted Connections in Tension – Contact Area

If the flange thickness is to

thin bending may occur,
leading to contact areas.
Contact area at the centre:
 KJ > KB
 Low variation of load on bolt
until preload is exceeded.
Contact area at edges:
 KJ < KB
 High variation of load on
bolt.
Contact areas located at
edges are more susceptible
to fatigue.

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 Bolted Connections in Tension – Contact Area

Contact force in centre Contact forces located at flange edges

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 Bolted Connections in Shear

Non-Preloading
 Load transferred
via bearing of
bolt shank.
 Can not be used
in variable load
conditions.
Preloaded:
 Load transferred
by friction
between plates.
 Use HSFG
bolts.
 Can be used in
variable load
conditions.

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 Bolted Connections in Shear

Non-Preloading
 Stress
concentration at
hole.
 Fatigue cracks
near hole, or
shearing of bolt.
Preloaded:
 Low stress
concentration
near hole.
 Fatigue cracks
at gross section
of plate.

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 Anchor Bolts

Behave in the same way as normal

bolts.
Bolt diameter and thread size has
little effect.
Method of forming thread influences
fatigue strength
 Rolled threads better than cut due to
residual compressive stress.
Double nut increases fatigue
resistance.
Must consider prying effects.

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 Code Requirements – CAN/CSA-S16.1-94

1 Based on detail categories,

3 number of load cycles, and the

Fsr := 

γ corresponding S-N curve.

 nN  Considers fatigue failure to occur
in the connecting material.
Parameters:
γ = fatigue life constant [Table 4(a)]
n = number of stress range cycles
[Table 4(b)]
N = number of passages of the
moving load
Fsrt = constant amplitude threshold
range

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 Code Requirements – AISC LRFD 1999

Based on detail categories, number

Shear of load cycles, and the corresponding
S-N curve.
Fsr ≥Fth Considers fatigue failure to occur in
the connecting material and bolt.
Parameters:
Fsr = design stress range
Tension Cf = constant [Table A-K3.1]
Category E’ – Cf = 3.9E8 N = number of stress range fluctuations
Fth = threshold fatigue stress range
Fth = 48MPa
[Table A-K3.1]
Include prying effects At = net tensile area
π 2 P = pitch
At := ⋅ ( db − 0.9382P) db = nominal diameter
4

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 Design Tool – Formatted Spreadsheet

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 Design Tool – Formatted Spreadsheet

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 Conclusions

Fatigue is an important
consideration in applications
involving repeated loading.
Codes offer little guidance for
fatigue of bolted connections.
Avoid fatigue susceptible details.

Firth of Forth Rail Bridge

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