LOAD DISTRIBUTION IN MULTIPLE-BOLT TENSION JOINTS

AN ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION IS PRESENTED, AND A SIMPLIFIED ANALYTICAL METHOD IS DERIVED THAT CLOSELY PREDICTS EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS. THE ANALYSIS IS APPLIED TO BUTT-TYPE TIMBER TENSION JOINTS UNDER LOADING IN THE ELASTIC RANGE. A PROGRAM OF TESTS WAS DESIGNED TO STUDY THE DISTRIBUTION OF LOAD AMONG THE BOLTS AND THE EFFECT OF THE JOINT PROPERTIES ON THE DISTRIBUTION FOR COMPARISON WITH THEORETICAL RESULTS. JOINTS CONTAINING SIX OR MORE BOLTS IN A ROW ARE FOUND TO HAVE A HIGHLY UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF BOLT LOADS, AND THE TWO END BOLTS TOGETHER USUALLY CARRY OVER 50% OF THE LOAD. THE ADDITION OF MORE THAN SIX BOLTS IN A ROW DOES NOT SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE ELASTIC STRENGTH OF THE JOINT. SMALL MISALINEMENT OF BOLT HOLES MAY CAUSE LARGE SHIFTS IN BOLT LOADS. THE MOST EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF BOLT LOADS OCCURS IN A BUTT JOINT IN WHICH THE EXTENSIONAL STIFFNESS OF THE MAIN MEMBER IS EQUAL TO THAT OF BOTH SPLICE PLATES. SOME SLIGHT REDISTRIBUTION OF LOAD FROM THE MORE HEAVILY LOADED END BOLTS TO THE LESS HEAVILY LOADED INTERIOR BOLTS TAKES PLACE WHEN BOLT BEARING IS THE MODE OF FAILURE. /ASCE/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 94, No ST 5, PP 1101-1117, 11 FIG, 21 REF, 2 APP
• Authors:
  • Cramer, C O
• Publication Date: 1968-5

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Journal of the Structural Division
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bolted joints; Bolts; Butt joints; Elasticity (Mechanics); Experiments; Joints; Load transfer; Structural analysis; Tensile strength; Timber
• Old TRIS Terms: Timber (Structural)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208471
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 22 1994 12:00AM