Wardenier

Bolted Joints between Hollow Sections

Prof.dr.ir. Jaap Wardenier
Em. Delft University of Technology

RHS Joints - Oslo Course 2009

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Types of Bolted Joints

Bolted hollow section joints can typically be classified

into two groups, depending on how the bolts are loaded:

1. Joints with Bolts in Shear

2. Joints with Bolts in Tension

RHS Joints - Oslo Course 2009

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Splice Joints with Bolts in Shear

Interior/Exterior Splice Plates for large RHS

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Splice Joints with Bolts in Shear

Gussets with External Splice Bars permits sealing with cap plates

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Diagonal Bracings in a Braced-Frame

Slotted plates welded into the ends of a RHS diagonal bracing

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Slotted Gusset Plates into Truss Members

Slotted plate into a CHS member, with the gusset plate tapered for
aesthetic appeal

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RHS Joints - Oslo Course 2009

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Some bolted Joints

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Bolted Joints with Bolts in Shear

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Bolted Joints for Truss Supports

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Double Channel
Beams
Bolted to Plates
on
RHS Column
Faces

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Bolted Joints with Bolts in Shear

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Bolted Gusset-Plate Joints to RHS

Limitation:
Member widths must be
closely matched.
Potential Problem:
Welding contraction tends
to pull the gussets inwards.
The gussets may need to be
spread slightly by jacking
after welding.

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Bolted Gusset-Plate to RHS Joints

Design needs to consider potential failure modes:
1. Shear failure of bolts
2. Bolt bearing: On the hollow section and on the gusset plate
3. Yielding or buckling of the gusset plate, using the Whitmore
criterion
4. Tear Out of the gusset plate (tension only) All possible failure paths
5. Tear Out of the hollow section (Member tension load only)
Examine all possible failure paths

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Bolted Gusset-Plate to RHS Joints

3. Yielding or buckling of the gusset plate, using the Whitmore
criterion

If load is compression; buckling

capacity is based on a column of
width (g + 1.15 p), depth of tp ,
a length equal to the minimum of
L1, L2 and L3 and an effective
length factor of 0.65.

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Bolted fin plate Joint

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Fin plate (or shear tap) Joints

Avoid
too much
distortion
of the
column face:
b0
E
1.4
t0
f c ,y

Section A-A

d0
E
0.114
t0
f c ,y

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Fin plate Joint

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Section A-A

Check for:
a.beam web failure
b.bolt shear failure
c.bolt bearing failure
d.plate failure
e.weld failure
f. column punching shear failure
g.column face plastification
(only for horizontal loads)
b, e and f should not be governing!

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Fin plate Joint

Avoid:
Section A-A

b. bolt shear failure

stronger than other criteria

e. weld failure

2a.fs,weld > tp.(0.58 fp,y)

f. column punching shear failure

2 tc.(0.58 fc,y) > tp.(0.58 fp,y )

b, e and f should not be governing!

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Fin plate Joint

d. Plate failure
65

Tensile Rupture

70

A
70

Shear
Rupture

Shear
Rupture

70

65
65

65

Section A-A

(a)

RHS Joints - Oslo Course 2009

(b)

Other Plate and T stub Joints

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Section D-D

Section E-E

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Section B-B

Bolted Joints to diaphragm plates

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Bracing Joints
(see welded plate to RHS connections)

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Np

bp
= bp / bc

hp

' = (bp + 2w) / (bc - tc)

bc' = bc - tc

hp'

hc
tc
bc

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Bolted Joints

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Joints with Bolts in Tension

PRYING FORCES develop when flange-plates lever against each other.
Prying forces increase the load in the bolts
Early failure of the connection
N

Q
B =

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N
2

B =

N
2

B =

Q
N
+Q
2

B =

N
+Q
2

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Bolted Flange-Plate to RHS Joints

With bolts along 2 sides of the hollow section

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Connection behaviour is
representative of
2-dimensional prying
models

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Bolted Joints
Yield lines at distance
b=b-d/2+ti

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Bolted End Joints at 4 sides

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Modified AISC:
Yield lines along
outer sides RHS
Use p or p (minimum)
If no prying:
b1
RHS Joints - Oslo Course 2009

1
1
2
1
f yp t p p
= B u b1
4
m

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Single sided bolted Joint

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Wall Thickening

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Single sided bolting

1.
2.
3.
4.

Lindapter HolloBolt
Huck Ultra-twist
Flowdrill
Others

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1.

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2. Huck
Ultra-Twist

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Column Joints Using Huck Ultratwist Fasteners

Column splice

Beam-to-column end-plate
connection

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One-Sided Bolting using Flowdrill

- The Flowdrill extrudes a precision hole in the
hollow section, with 80% of the molten displaced
material flowing down and 20% up.
- This forms a boss of 3 times the hollow section
thickness, which can then be threaded with a
Flowtap.

- Conventional bolts can then be screwed into

the holes from one side.

- Less tolerance for field bolting relative to

conventional bolt holes.

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www.flowdrill.nl
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Flow drill blind bolted joints

Up to 12.5 mm

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Other Methods: Welded Threaded Studs

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Other Methods: Welded Nuts

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Design Recommendations

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Design Recommendations
Simulate as standard RHS-RHS T-joint, with outer bolt
centres as the RHS bracing corners, with a reduction for
the bolt holes

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Example: Cast steel node for space frames

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This one not produced anymore

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Nails in Shear

Powderactivated fasteners, or "nails", can be used as structural

connectors for mating circular hollow sections
Ideal for poles especially in remote locations
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Joint design is based on classic failure modes

for bolted joints:

1. Shear failure
of fasteners

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2. Fastener bearing
on the base metal
3. Net section fracture of
the tube cross section
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The end of the

lectures on
Bolted Joints

Do not
not stiffen
stiffen
Do
in this
this wrong
wrong way!!!
way!!!
in

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Bolted Gusset-Plate to RHS Joints

4. Tear Out of the gusset plate (tension only) All possible failure paths

Gusset Tear to
Edge of Plate

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4. Tear Out of the brace All possible failure paths

Bolt
Pattern
Tear out

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