Design of steel Connections

Part I
Introduction and Bolted Connections

By: Associate Professor

Sherif Mohamed Ibrahim

https://sites.google.com/site/designofsteelstructures/
Aspects Steel Construction
 Design of connections
Steel connections:
They are used to connect different seperate steel
memebrs (truss members, beams, columns,..etc. to
form and complete integrated structures
Examples of Connections
 Components of Connections
1- Bolts

2- Welding

3- Connecting element (plates,

angles,..)

Gusset Plate
Bolted Connections
 Bolts Diameter and Hole Diameter

• Bolts Diameter (d) available in Egypt

M12, M14, M16, M20, M24, M27, M30 and M36

• Hole diameter in standard holes shall be

d + 1 mm: for M12 and M14
d + 2 mm: for M16 up to M24
d + 3 mm: for M27 or larger

• Hole diameter for fitted bolts:

d + 0.3 mm , unless special clearance are specified.
 Grades of Bolts
Bolts are classified according to their grades based
on the yield and ultimate strength of their materials

• Bolts of grades 4.6 up to 6.8 are made from mild carbon

steel and are the cheapest type of bolts.
• Bolts grade 8.8 are of heat treated.
• Bolts grade 10.9 are heat treated alloy steel.
• Bolts grade 8.8 and 10.9 are called High Strength Bolts
(H.S.B) and can be pretensioned
 Types of Bolted Connection
There are two basic types of bolted connections

• Bearing Type connection (Non-pretensioned).

Shear load is transfered by bearing on bolts

• Slip-Critical Connection with Pretensioned H.S.B (8.8 and

10.9).
Shear load is transfered by friction between connected
parts due to pretensioning of bolts.

A special type of bearing type connections is

• Bearing Type connection with Pretensioned H.S.B.
In this type bolts are pretensioned but the connected
steel surfaces do not have enough coffiecient of friction to
prevent slip.
 Bearing Type Connection
Load "F"

In bearing type connection, the

connected parts bear against
the body of the bolt.

Load "F"
 Failure Modes in Bearing Type Connections

Failure of bearing type connection can happen either due to:

1- Shear failure in bolt.

2- Bearing fracture / yielding in the connected steel plates.

Let us watch these failure modes

 Slip Critical Connections
• In a slip critical connection the bolts must be
fully pretensioned.

• Pretension will cause clamping force

between connected elements.

• This force develops friction resistance

between connected elements.

• The friction resistance allows the connection

to withstand loading without slipping into
bearing against the bolt.

•The faying surfaces in slip-critical

connections require special preparation.
 Installations of bearing type connections
Sung-tight is attained with:
1- Few hits of impact wrench, or

2- The full effort of an ironpower using ordinary spud wrench

to bring the connected parts into firm contact
 Design of Bearing Type Connections

• Design of bearing
type connetions
under:
1- Shear force only.
2- Tension force only.
3- Tension and shear.
 Bearing Type Connection Under Shear Only
1- Bolt Shear Resistance:
Rsh = Ash x qb x n

Ash = for threads excluded

= for threads included

qb = 0.25 Fub for grades 4.6, 5.6 and 8.8

= 0.20 Fub for grades 4.8, 5.8, 6.8 and
10.9
n = number of shear planes
= 1 for single shear
= 2 for double shear
 Bearing Type Connection Under Shear Only
2- Plate Bearing Resistance:
Rb = Fb x d x tmin
Fb = Allowable bearing resistance =
Fu = Ultimate strength of connected plates e
= Factor depends on the edge distance in the direction of force

d = Bolt diameter
tmin = min. thickness
t1
t1

For Single Shear: t2 For double shear:

tmin = min. of t1 & t2 t2
tmin = min. of t1 &
t3 (t2+ t3)
 Bearing Type Connection Under Shear Only

3- Determine the Least Resistance RLeast

RLeast = min. of Rsh and Rb N=3

F
number of bolts in member = N

N = F / Rleast e

F = Shear force acting on connection

 Bolts Arrangement in Bearing Type Connection
1- Single gauage arrangement:
S = min.: "3 d"
= max.: least of "14 tsmallest" or 200 mm
e = min.: "1.5 d"
= max.: 12 tsmallest
tsmallest = The minimum thickness of gusset plate or connected
angle
S

(a-t)/2
a
t

e e
 Bolts Arrangement in Bearing Type Connection

2- Double gauage arrangement:

S or g = min.: "3 d"
= max.: least of "14 tsmallest" or 200 mm
e1 and e2 = min.: "1.5 d"
= max.: 12 tsmallest
tsmallest = The minimum thickness of gusset plate or
connected
angle
 Bolts Arrangement in Bearing Type Connection
3- Staggerd bolt arrangement:
S = min.: "4.5 d"
= max.: least of "14 tsmallest" or 200 mm
e1 and e2 = min.: "1.5 d"
= max.: 12 tsmallest
tsmallest = The minimum thickness of gusset plate or
connected angle
g = min. "2 d"
= max.: max.: least of "14 tsmallest" or 200 mm
 Limitations on the Number of Bolts

1- The minimum number of bolts = 2 bolts

2- The maximum number of bolts which makes the
distance between end fasteners Li = "15 d"
3- If Li > "15 d", RLeast shall be multiplied by reduction factor:

BL = 1 - (Li - 15d)/200d
where 0.75 ≤ BL ≤ 1.0

4- Single bolt lap joint can be used with the the following
provisions:
a- Rb ≤ 0.75 Fu d tmin
b- Bolts shall be provided with washer under both the
nut and head.
 Check Block Shear Rupture
in Bearing Connections Subject to Shear
What is Block Shear Rupture? Let us watch it!
Block shear Rupture resistance
 2 1

+22 ton + 18 ton

2 L 80 x 80 x 8 2 L 70 x 70 x7
 Assume e = 2d , thus a =0.8

0.8 x 3.6 x 1.6 x 1.0 = 4.6 ton

N1
 32 60 60 60 60

(27.3-4.5*1.8) x 2 x 0.7 = 26.88 cm2

26.88 x 0.4 x 2.4 + 2.94 x 0.725 x 2.4 = 30.9

 Bearing Type Connection Under Tension Only

Bolt Tension Resistance:

Rt = As x Ftb

As =

Ftb = 0.33 Fub .........for all bolt grades

number of bolts = N = F/ Rt
Where F is the tensile force on bolts
 Bearing Type Connection Under Shear & Tension

Bolts under combined shear (Q) and tension (T) forces are
checked as follows:

Where:
Rsh.a = actual shear force per bolt = Q / N
Rt.a = actual tensile force per bolt = T / N
N = Number of bolts resisting combined shear and tension
Rsh = Shear resistance of bolt as previously determined
Rt = Tensile resistance of bolt as previously determined
Can you determine N for given Q and T?
N2 = (Q/Rsh)2 + (T/Rt)2
Example 2:
Determine the number M16 bolts of grade 4.6 connecting the
angles to the columns. Threads are excluded from shear
planes.

T =4 ton
F1 =8 ton F1 =8 ton

ton
Q= 13.5
2 L 70 x 70 x 7
N

F2 =18 ton
Solution:

Rsh = x 0.25 x 4 x 1 = 2.01 tons

Rt = x 0.33 x 4 = 2.06 tons

N2 = (13.5/2.01)2 + (4/2.06)2 = 48.88

N = 6.99 bolts

Choose 8 bolts ( 4 bolts x 2 rows)