Bolts and Bolted

Connections

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

LECTURE X

Dr. Jason E. Charalambides

Topics
! Types and characteristics of structural bolts
! Strength of bolts in tension, shear, and combined shear +
tension
! Load transfer mechanisms in bolted connections under
shear loading:
" Friction
" bearing and shear
! Design of simple bolted connections under shear loading:
" bearing type connections
" slip critical connections

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 Reading
! AISC Specification and Commentary: Section J3
! (pp 16.1-118 to 16.1-128 and 16.1-400 to 16.1-411)
! Specification for Structural Joints Using High Strength Bolts,
published by the Research Council on Structural
Connections
" (www.boltcouncil.org).
" Most recent edition: December 31, 2009
" Copy provided in AISC Manual - Section 16.2
! Design Aids: AISC Manual - Part 7

Experimental Behavior of a
Bolted Tension Splice

Reference: Bendigo, R., Hansen, R., and Rumpf, J., Long Bolted Joints, Journal of the
Structural Division, ASCE, Vol. 89, No. ST6, December 1963. 4
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TYPES OF STRUCTURAL BOLTS

Bolts are identified by ASTM designation

Low Strength Bolts

A307 Fu = 60 ksi

High Strength Bolts

A325 Fu = 120 ksi for d 1-inch

Fu = 105 ksi for d > 1-inch Identified as Group A bolts
in AISC Manual

F1852 Twist-off A325 bolt

A490 Fu = 150 ksi Identified as Group B bolts

in AISC Manual
F2280 Twist-off A490 bolt

Other Bolts and Threaded Fasteners

A449: Same material specification as A325,

but available in larger diameters and available
unheaded

A354 Gr BD: Same material specification as

A490, but available in larger diameters and
available unheaed

A36 and A572 Gr 50 are available as round bars

and can be threaded (for anchor bolts, etc).
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General Characteristics of A325 and A490 Bolts

Standard Head Markings:

-- Grade ( A325 or A490 )
-- Manufacturer
Hex Head -- standard dimensions

Bolt Diameter: 1/2" to 1-1/2"

(Available approx. 1" to 8" )

in increments of 1/8"
(3/4" 7/8" 1" most common)
Bolt Length

Hardened Washer: ASTM F436

Hex Nut: ASTM A563

-- standard dimensions
-- standard markings

Thread Length:
Standard for each Threads: dimensions per ANSI B1.1
bolt diameter Thread Series UNC
( Unified Stadard Series - Coarse)

Types of A325 and A490 Bolts:

Type 1 -- available plain or galvanized (only plain for A490)
Type 3 -- weathering steel
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Load Transfer Mechanisms
! Load can be transferred through the bolted connection
via two possible mechanisms

" Friction:
" Bearing and Shear:

Load Transfer Mechanisms

! Review of Concept of Friction:
" Consider this cubical body subjected to gravitational load and to a
lateral load.
" Naturally the gravitational load would not move it as it rests on the
ground.
" What could stop this body from accelerating and continuing to
accelerate in a motion parallel to the horizontal?

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Load Transfer Mechanisms
! Review of Concept of Friction:
" The body will slip at the point where the lateral load P will
surpass the resistance caused by the friction of the surface.
" Consider the the pressure distribution at the base of the block
as having a resultant N

Load Transfer Mechanisms

! Review of Concept of Friction:

" Increase load P until block slips
" Coefficient of friction determinant factor for slip action:
P slip
=
N
R
P slip= N

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 Load Transfer By Friction

! Consider a simple bolted connection made of two plates and a bolt.

" Prior to applying external load P, bolt is tightened.
" Initial tension in bolt = T

Load Transfer By Friction

! Envision a diagram of stresses of the bottom half of this
arrangement.
" The applied tension multiplied by the slip factor will equal
the frictional shear stress P

" Note: On this

diagram the
shearing of the
bolt was not
addressed

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 Load Transfer By Friction
! Prior to slip, P is transferred by frictional shear stresses at the
contact surfaces of the plates. The bolt experiences no shear
stresses. Only tension is what takes place.
! The load at which the connection slips is: P slip= N

" For Steel plates,

typical values of
(also the symbol ks
used) vary between
0.3 and 0.5.

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Load Transfer By Friction

! If the connection is constant, using more than one bolt:
" P_slip P slip= N b T
" Where N_b is the number of bolts, T is the tension per bolt, and is
the slip coefficient

! If more than two plates are used:

" 2 slip planes each resisting P/2 P slip=2N b T

! In general: P slip=N s N b T
" Where Ns is the number of slip planes

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 Load Transfer By Bearing
and Shear
! Consider a simple bolted connection made of two plates and
one bolt
" Assume no initial tension on the bolt

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Load Transfer By Bearing

and Shear
! Consider a simple bolted connection made of two plates and
one bolt
" Consider the Free Body Diagram of the plates

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 Load Transfer By Bearing
and Shear
! Consider a simple bolted connection made of two plates and
one bolt
" Consider the Free Body Diagram of the bolt

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Load Transfer By Bearing

and Shear
! Consider a simple bolted connection made of two plates and
one bolt
" Consider the Free Body Diagram of the bolt

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 Load Deformation Behavior of
Bolted Connection P = N T slip b

! Consider a simple bolted connection made of two plates and a bolt

" Assume that plates are strong enough to withstand the possibilities of
tension member failure (yield, fracture, block shear) prior to fracture of
bolted connection:

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Load Deformation Behavior of

Bolted Connection
! Prior to slip (P<P_slip), load transfer is by friction only.
! After slip (P>P_slip), load transfer is by combination of friction and
shear + bearing
! As P approaches Pult, load transfer relies mainly on bearing and
shear, rendering the contribution of friction minimal to insignificant.

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 Load Deformation Behavior of
Bolted Connection P = N T slip b

! Pult is controlled either by bolt shear failure or by plate bearing

failure (hole tear out or hole excessive elongation)
! What is failure?
" Depending on the application it can be either P_ult or P_slip

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Design Criteria
! Bolted connections are classified as either of the two
following types:
" Bearing type Connections
" Slip critical Connections

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Bearing Type Connections
! A Bolted connection is classified as bearing type if
the occurrence of slip is not considered to be a limit
state.
Applications
" Connections in which the deformations due to slip are not
detrimental to the strength or serviceability of the structure
" Most connections in building frames subject to static loads
and using standard size holes can be designed as bearing
type, with a maximum slip of 1/16

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Bearing Type Connections

cont

Structural Performance Criteria

" Prevent bolt shear at factored loads
" Prevent Plate bearing failure at factored loads
Installation Requirements
" No special surface preparation
" Bolts need not be fully tightened (snug tight is adequate)
" Minimal inspection required

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Slip Critical Connections
! The connection is classified as slip critical if the
occurrence of slip shall be detrimental to strength or
serviceability of the structure
Applications
" Oversize slotted holes (with load in the direction of the slot
! Slip will result in potentially large deformations that may
result in structural failure or serviceability problems
" Cyclic loading
! Slip may result in fatigue
" Bolts and welds are used together in the same connection
! Use of slip critical design for the bolts leads to better
sharing of load with welds
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Slip Critical Connections

! Structural performance criteria
" Prevent slip at factored loads
" Prevent bolt shear failure at factored loads Usually do
" Prevent plate bearing failure at factored loads not control

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 Slip Critical Connections
! Installation Requirements
" Special preparation of steel is required (to attain the assumed in the
design)
" Bolts must be fully tightened (to achieve T assumed in design)
" Close inspection is required on surface conditions and bolt installation

! Slip critical connections are in generally considerably more

expensive than bearing type due to:
" Larger number of bolts; larger connection
" Higher labor costs associated with surface preparation and bolt
installation
" Higher inspection costs

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The Dom-ino frame design by Le Corbusier during the early 20th century
became a paradigm ,a datum in the history of architecture and a
reference to the modernist movement.