J. Construct. Steel Res. Vol. 46, Nos. 1-3, pp.

470-471, paper number 197, 1998

01998 Else&r Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Printed in Great Britain
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ELSEVIER

Bolted Double Angle Compression Members

D.R. Sherman’ and J.A. Yura2

‘Department of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee P.O. Box 784,

Milwaukee WI 53201, USA
*Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas Austin TX 78712-1076, USA

Paper Number 197

Full paper on enclosed CD-ROM

The number of intermediate bolts required for built-up double angle com-
pression members varies among different steel design standards. The debate
on this issue prompted an experimental program of eleven elastic tests and
one inelastic test of full scale double-angle members with bolted end connec-
tions. In addition to the number of intermediate connectors, the variables
included the installation tightness of the end and intermediate bolts, the faying
surface condition at the end and the size of intermediate fillers. The results
clearly show that preventing shear slip in the end connection is the most
important factor in developing the strength of the built-up member.
The test results verify that the AISC Specification criteria reflect the trend
of increases in the strength with increasing numbers of intermediate connec-
tors and with the tightness of intermediate bolts. However, the increases are
not great and the single value predicted by Eurocode 3 is reasonable. However,
Eurocode 3 would require fourteen intermediate connectors, while the tests
show little increase in strength between two and five intermediate connectors.
With five intermediate connectors the tests and AISC indicate that the full
elastic buckling strength of the member has essentially been achieved. AISC
would accept just two intermediate connectors.
An equation is proposed for determining the shear transfer force in the end
connection for which slip must be prevented.

V,o,o[= 0.008 PL 7
Q

where P = the member axial load, L = the member length, Q = first moment
of area on one component about the axis of buckling of the built-up member,
and Z = moment of inertia about the axis of buckling.
It is important to realize that the connection does not have to be designed

470
 Bolted Double Angle Compression Members 471

as slip-critical for the full member load. Only the shear transfer force in the
buckled mode must be developed with no slip. 0 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.
All rights reserved

KEYWORDS

Built-up members, compression members, end bolts, intermediate bolts, end

slip, filler size, effective length, shear transfer, slip-critical.