Bolted Joints between Hollow Sections

Prof.dr.ir. Jaap Wardenier

Em. Delft University of Technology

Wardenier RHS Joints - Oslo Course 2009

 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

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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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 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
A A
column face:
b0 E
≤ 1.4
t0 f c ,y

d0 E
≤ 0.114
t0 f c ,y
Section A-A

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

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 Fin plate Joint A A

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
Tensile Rupture
65

70

A A
Shear 70 Shear
Rupture Rupture

70

65

65 65
Section A-A
(a) (b)

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 Other Plate and T stub Joints

D D
E E B B

Section D-D
Section E-E Section B-B

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 Bolted Joints to diaphragm plates

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 Bracing Joints
(see welded plate to RHS connections)

bp Np
β = bp / bc hp
β' = (bp + 2w) / (bc - tc)
bc' = bc - tc θ
w

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 N

Q Q
N N N N
B = B = B = +Q B = +Q
2 2 2 2

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 Bolted Flange-Plate to RHS Joints
With bolts along 2 sides of the hollow section

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

Modified AISC:

Yield lines along

outer sides RHS
Use p or p’ (minimum)
If no prying:
1 2 1 1
⋅ f yp ⋅ t p ⋅ p ⋅ = B u ⋅ b1
4 γm
b1

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 Single sided bolted Joint

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 Wall Thickening

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 Single sided bolting
1. Lindapter HolloBolt 1.
2. Huck Ultra-twist
3. Flowdrill
4. Others

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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.

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

This one not produced anymore

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 Nails in Shear

Powder–activated 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
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
Do not stiffen
stiffen
in this
in this wrong
wrong way!!!
way!!!

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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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