Effect of holt preloading on joint bebavioue 1. Jaspart MSN, University of Liege Belgium R Maquoi MSN. University of Lidge, Belgium ABSTRACT: In Furocode 3 Part 1-1 as well asin most ofthe existing models for prediction ofthe ess and strength properties of structural bolted joints, the effec of bolt preloading is disregarded. Inthe present Paper, the influence of this Tact om the characteristic joint deforma iy curves is pointed out and related formulae for stiffness and stength prediction are proposed | INTRODUCTION Structural unstifened bolted joints -baam-o-eolumn Joints, beam-to-beam joints, beam splices. ~ are very "economical foe fabrication and erection Generally, such joints have a semiigid behaviour snd are parially resistant. The prediction of thie rotational response, in terms af moment M relative rotation @, is therefor of particular importance in view of the study of their influence on the global structural response of the building frames Inthe most recent analytical procedures for the prediction of the joint response Caspart 1991 Revised EC3 Amnex 1 1994), the so-called component method (Jaspart etal 1994) is used. The ‘ofthis metho isto consider any joint not 5 a whole but as a set of windividyal basic componentsy. In the particular caso of an unstffened beam:to-clunn joint with extended end plate connection subjected to bending, the televant components are the following: = compression zone + column web in compression; + beam flange in compression: + column wob in tension; * column flange in bending ; bolts in tension 5 end plate in bending 5 + beam web in tension = in shear zane + column web pana in shear Fach of these basic components possesses it fown lovel of strength and siffaess in tension, compression oF shear and may therefore be characterized by a F-A curve where F is the applied force and A the cated deformability. The coexistence of several components within the same joint element ~ for instance, the column seb which is simultncously subjected 19 compression (or tension) and shear = can obviously lead 10 stress interactions that are likely to decrease oth strength ‘and stiffness of each individual basic component; ‘this imeration affects the shape ofthe deformability ‘curve ofthe related components but dees not eal the principles of the component method in question component mathod requires the following steps 8) listng ofthe components that are “activated in the joint 1) evalusion of the stiffness andlor strength characteristics of each individual base component (specific. characteristics ~ inital stifness, design strength... ~ or whole deformability curve); ©) assembly» of the components in view of the ‘evaluation of the sfiTaese andlor strength sharactersties of the whole joint (specific Characteristics - initial stiffness, design resistance. - or whole deformability curve) ‘The «assembly» is based on a disibution of the intoral frees within th joint. AS a matior of fact ‘he extemal loads applied to the joi distribute, at ech loading step, between the individualcomponentsthey do that in accordance with the instantaneous stiffness of each component The application of the component method requires ‘obviously a suficien knowledge of the behaviour of the basic component ‘The framework of the component method is suiicionly general 10 allow the use of various feehnigues of component characterization and joint ‘essen, Tn particular, the stifess and strength characteristics of the components may result fom cexpariments in laboratory, mumerial simulations by means of finite element programs or analytical ‘mavels hase on theory. In Lidge, experimentations ‘nd numerical simulations have been performed and ‘used references when developing and validating lytical models Jspart 1991), ‘The analytical modals may be developed with different levels of sophistication according to the parsons 10 whom they are devoted: the expressions presented in (sspart 1991) aro able to cover the influence of all the parameters Which affect significantly the component behaviour (strain hardening, bolt head and net ‘dimensions, bolt presresing,..) since the beginning of the loading up to collapse and ft therefore well with a scientific publication + the rules which ave been introduced,” for instancs, in Annex J of Eurocode 3 (1993) — nex devoted to joint desipn- and in its revised version (1994) to which the University of Lidge has largely contributed with the University of ‘Aachen (D) and TNO Delft (NL) ate fat more simple and are therefore more suitable for practical use, imilar loves of sophistication exist also for what ards the joint «assembly». In the present paper, attention is paid 10 the tension zone ofthe bolted joints and more especially to the plate components subjected 10 transverse forces such end plates or columa flange, including bolts in tension “Two general appronches termed respectively plate ‘models and «T-stub model» have been proposed to analyse these components. In the eplte model, the ‘components are considered as plates in bending and studied accordingly while the Testub idealization ceonssts in reducing. the components to T-stub sections of appropriate length, that are connected by their lange onto a presumably infinitely rigid foundation and ate subjected 10 a uniformly isubuted force acting inthe web plane (igure 1) ‘Tho T-stb idealization allows to darive relatively simple prédiction rules for stiffness and strength hich can similar be applied to end plates, column Fanges or cleats; forall these reasons, it has been ‘uted by diferent authors and is also referred 1 in ECS Annex J (1998; 1994) Figure |= Testub In the present paper, the effeet of she bolt ‘resresing on the tensile eesponse of the T-stu is ‘contomplated. Tt influences the stiffness and strength properties of the Testubs but is still disreparded in the revised FC3 Annex J (1994). Indeed same design rules are given for joints with preloaded and non- preloaded bolt. 2. EXPERIMENTAL AND. DESIGN T-STUB DEFORMABILITY CURVES ‘A Testub tested in Inboratory exhibits a non linear behaviour, as shown in figure 2. The corresponding F-A curve may be characterized by 4 main Parameters the initia resistance F, the stain ‘he ulti theoretically defined as the maximum tension force developed by « T-stub made of a material which ‘exhibits an elastc-perfecly plastic sieststeainFigure 3 - Collapse modes ina T-stub, diagram; thus sean-bardening would be fully disregarded, To identify such a eapacity on an experimentally recorded F-A curves neither obvious nor easy because of unavoidable st coffee. Hovr 40 define the experimental «plasticn fonacity is diseussed elsewhere (Inpart 1991); ‘sun present paper, itis given as shown in figure 2 In BC3 Annex J, design rules are provided to derive a so-called design F-A curve. When applied to an actual Tstub tested in laboratory, Le. on the basis of the measured geometrical properties, ‘the measured mechanical properties of ste) + partial safety factors equal 10 1.0, ‘the BCH design curve should idemiy itself v9 tho “olastc-perfcly plastic” curve dofind in figure 2; indeed strain-hardening is disregarded ‘The BC3 design curve is fully derived from the sole knowledge of two main characteristics: the initial sifness K, andthe design resistance Fye Pa, which is supposed to be equal to the "plastc’ F +m aforementioned conditions apply, is depend ‘onthe collapse mode of the T-stub, ‘The later ean be due to (figure 3) 8) bot fracture with no prying forces, as a result of a very large stiffness of the T-stub ange, oF by onset of yisd liner machsniem in the T-tab before the seength of the bolts be oxhausted, or ©) mixed collapse involving yield lines atthe toe of the fillets in the T-stub and exhwostion of the bolt strength. ‘The related Fa values are expressed as follows (4 bolts in tension): ‘Mode a: bolt fracture (igure 3) Fay 4 By o Mode b: plastic mechanism (Bigue 30) Pygy tee ® ‘Mode e: mixed collapse (igure 3e) 2b, m, +4 By Fg ee 8 Bm eo where om, oe 5 (= ange thickness; f, = stool yield stress; Y= partial safer Factor) and a! 11,25 m, Byqy is the design resistance of the bots and by ~ see figure I i defined in accordance ‘withe ECS, ‘The design strength Fy of tho T-stub is Gerived asthe smallest value got from expressions orton 3. EFFECT OF BOLT PRELOADING ON T- STUB RESPONSE. “The effect of bolt preloading on the F-A response of| ‘8 T-stb is pointed out in figure 4 which relates to test cently performed in Lidge on quite similar T= stubs connected respectively by means of preloaded ‘and non-prelonded bots. Tests shove that Tus sigiicative inucace stiffness and on the "plat resistance of the connection and; non significative influence on tho ultimate stato due tothe completo lost of preloading between the connected flanges at that load level ‘The effect of bolt preloading is disregarded in ECS; the use of ECS design rules fr joins with non preloaded bolts can therefore lead to Undorestimations of the initial stiffness and of the design strength In (Jaspart 1991; Jaspart etal 1991), numerous comparisons between experimental results on