BOLTED CONNECTION

Introduction
• Traditional Design
• Assumed joints are stiff and strong
• Either pinned or rigid
• End up with low deformation capacity and high fabrication costs
Introduction
• Modern Design (EC3-1-8)
• Semi-rigid
• Connections are treated as structural elements
• Rules are provided to determine the design parameters e.g.
stiffness, strength and rotation capacity
• Connections are modelled by using component-based approach
Introduction
• Key design parameters
• Stiffness
• Strength
• Rotation capacity
Different types of connections in a building frame

B A
A- Beam to column connection
B- Beam to beam connection
C- Column to column connection
D- Column to foundation connection

D
Definition
Connected member = Any
member that is joined to a
Joint
supporting member or element

Joint = Zone where two or

more members are
interconnected.

Joint configuration = Type or Connection

layout of the joints in a zone

within which the axes of two or
more inter-connected members
intersect
• Classification by stiffness
• Nominally pinned – capable of transmitting the internal forces without
developing significant moments, capable of accepting the resulting
rotations
• Rigid – Sufficient rotational stiffness to justify analysis based on full
continuity
• Semi-rigid – classification lies between these two limits
M M M

Φ Φ Φ

(a) Rigid Joint (Φ=0) (b) Pinned Joint (M=0) (c) Semi-rigid Joint (M and Φ≠0)
Figure 2.3 Modelling joints for elastic global analysis
Typical beam-to-column joints and a diagrammatic stiffness classification
Beam-to-Column Connections
Beam-to-Column Connections
Beam-to-Column Connections
Column-to-column Connections
• Classification by strength
• Nominally pinned – capable of transmitting the internal forces without
developing significant moments, capable of accepting the resulting
rotations, Mj,Rd is not greater than 0.25 times the design moment
resistance required for a full-strength joint
• Full-strength – design resistance of a full-strength joint should be not
less than that of the connected members
• Partial-strength – classification lies between these two limits
Strength classification boundaries

Mp

0.25Mp
Bolted connection
• Detailing guidance
• Joints in direct shear
• Eccentric connections
Bolts Strength
Standard bolt dimensions
Bolt Nominal Pitch, Pitch Shank Minor diam Tensile Stress
designation diam., p diam., area, A0 Area, Ar Area, A s
D0 dp
M4 4.0 0.70 3.5453 12.566 7.7496 8.78
M5 5.0 0.80 4.4804 19.635 12.683 14.18
M6 6.0 1.00 5.3505 28.274 17.894 20.12
M8 8.0 1.25 7.1881 50.265 32.841 36.61
M10 10.0 1.50 9.0257 78.540 52.292 58.00
M12 12.0 1.75 10.863 113.10 76.247 84.27
M16 16.0 2.00 14.701 201.06 144.12 156.67
M20 20.0 2.50 18.376 314.16 225.19 244.79
M22* 22.0 2.50 20.376 380.13 281.53 303.40
M24 24.0 3.00 22.051 452.39 324.27 352.50
M27* 27.0 3.00 25.051 572.56 427.09 459.41
M30 30.0 3.50 27.727 706.86 518.99 560.59
M33 33.0 3.50 30.727 855.30 647.19 693.55
M36 36.0 4.00 33.402 1017.9 759.28 816.72
M39 39.0 4.00 36.00 1194.6 912.87 976.00
Detailing guidance
• Min. end distance
• Min. edge distance
• Max. end and edge distances
• Min. bolt spacing
• Max. bolt spacing
Positioning of holes
Design of bolts
• Bolt in shear
• Bearing of bolts and connected parts
• Bolt in tension
• Bolts in combined shear and tension
• Bolts in combined shear and torsion
Parts of the Bolt Assembly

Grip Washer
Washer Nut
Face

Shank Thread
Head
Length
Joints IN Direct SHEAR
Joints IN Direct SHEAR

 Bolts in shear
 Bolts and connected
parts in bearing
Bolt in BEARING
Bolted Joint Failure Modes

Bearing Bearing Bearing

Yield Fracture Fracture

Bearing
Yield

• Bolts in bearing joints are designed to meet two limit states:

1. Yielding, which is an inelastic deformation (above left)
2. Fracture, which is a failure of the joint (above left)
• The material the bolt bears against is also subject to yielding or fracture if it is
undersized for the load (above right)
• Tension connections act similarly to bearing connections
 Many times, connections in direct tension are reconfigured so that the bolts
act in shear
Truss Connection
• When welded or bolted connections are used to join
the truss members, we usually assume that the
connection is a pin joint if the centerline of the
members are concurrent at the joint.
• In this case the joint does not support any moment
since it allows for the rotation of the members.
ECCENTRIC CONNECTION
• Bolts in combined shear and tension
• Bolts in combined shear and torsion
Bolts in combined shear and tension
For an approximate method of analysis - the centre of rotation can be assumed to
be at the bottom bolt in the group or at the beam bottom flange. The loads vary
linearly, with the maximum load Ft in the top bolt.

M yi
Bolts in combined shear and tension
• Table 3.4 (EC3:1-8)- Design resistance for bolt under
combined shear and tension (check only the bolt
subjected to max forces i.e. bolt located furthest from
center of rotation)

Fv , Ed Ft , Ed
+ ≤1
Fv , Rd 1,4 Ft , Rd
Bolts in combined shear and tension
Fv,Ed=V/no of bolts

Fv,Rd= bolt shear capacity from Table 3.4

Ft,Rd= bolt tension capacity from Table 3.4

My1
Ft , Ed =
m∑i =1 y
m 2
i
Bolts in combined shear and torsion
• The eccentric shear force tend
to rotate the joint
• Produces resultant shear force
on a bolt from direct shear and
moment
• The resultant shear force must
be less than the bolt shear
capacity.
Bolts in combined shear and torsion
Bolts in combined shear and torsion
• Assume center of rotation, c.o.r = centroid of the bolt
group
• Calculate the resultant force, FR of the bolt furthest from
c.o.r (because it is subjected to the highest forces)
2 2
 V MyG   H MzG 
FR = F + F =  +
y
2
z
2
 +  + 
n Ix  n Ix 
• n=no of bolts
• yG and zG are the coordinates of a bolt related to the centroid
• Ix =Iy+Iz
Example – Joint in direct shear
The joint shown below is subjected to a tensile dead load of 75 kN and a tensile
imposed load of 85 kN. All data regarding the member and joint are given. The
steel is Grade S275 and the bolt Class 4.6. Check that the joint is satisfactory.
Example – Joint in direct shear
Factored load = (1.35 × 75) + (1.5 × 85) = 229 kN

Bolt shear resistance per shear plane, FvRd =

Bearing resistance, FbRd=

Bolt capacity – two bolts are in double shear and four in single.

Shear capacity =
Example- joint in direct shear and tension
Example- joint in direct shear and tension
Example- joint in direct shear and tension
Example 2- joint in direct shear and
tension
Example 2- joint in direct shear and
tension
• For an approximate method of analysis - the centre of
rotation is assumed to be at the bottom bolt in the group.
The loads vary linearly, with the maximum load Ft in the
top bolt.
Example 2- joint in direct shear and
tension
Fv,Ed=V/no of bolts

Fv,Rd= bolt shear capacity from Table 3.4

Ft,Rd= bolt tension capacity from Table 3.4

My1
Ft , Ed =
m∑i =1 yi2
m

Fv , Ed Ft , Ed
+ ≤1
Fv , Rd 1,4 Ft , Rd
Example- joint in direct shear and torsion
Example- joint in direct shear and torsion
Example- joint in direct shear and torsion
Example- joint in direct shear and torsion