Simple Connections

CEPSTD35D
Introduction
Connections of structural steel members are of
critical importance. An inadequate connection, which
can be the “weak link” in a structure, has been the
cause of numerous failures. Failure of structural
members is rare; most structural failures are the
result of poorly designed or detailed connections.
 Types of Connections
❑ Bolted Connection (either high-strength or “common bolts”)
❑Welded Connection
❑Combination of both
Behavior of Different Types of Connections
-categorized according to the type of loading

The tension member splices shown in Figure 7.3a and b subject the
fasteners to forces that tend to shear the shank of the fastener.
Behavior of Different Types of Connections
-categorized according to the type of loading

Similarly, the weld shown in Figure 7.3c must resist shearing forces.
 Behavior of Different Types of Connections
-categorized according to the type of loading

The connection of a bracket to a column flange, as in Figure 7.3d, whether by

fasteners or welds, subjects the connection to shear when loaded as shown.
 Behavior of Different Types of Connections
-categorized according to the type of loading

The hanger connection shown in Figure 7.3e puts the fasteners in tension. The connection
shown in Figure 7.3f produces both shear and tension in the upper row of fasteners. The
strength of a fastener depends on whether it is subjected to shear or tension, or both.
Simple Connections
If the line of action of the resultant force to be
resisted passes through the center of gravity of the
connection, each part of the connection is assumed
to resist an equal share of the load, and the
connection is called a simple connection.
 Simple Connections

In such connections, illustrated in Figure 7.3a, b, and c, each

fastener or each unit length of weld will resist an equal amount
of force.* The load capacity of the connection can then be found
by multiplying the capacity of each fastener or inch of weld by the
total number of fasteners or the total length of weld.
NSCP 2015:
Section 510
Bolted Shear Connections
Modes of failure that are possible in connections with
fasteners subjected to shear:
A. Failure of the fastener
B. Failure of the parts being connected
Bolted Shear Connections
A. Failure of the Fastener
Bolted Shear Connections
A. Failure of the Fastener 𝑃
𝑓𝑣 =
𝐴
𝑃
= 2
𝜋𝑑 /4

𝑃 = 𝑓𝑣 𝐴

𝑃 = 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟

𝐴 = 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟
𝑓𝑣 = 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
Bolted Shear Connections
A. Failure of the Fastener 𝑃
𝑓𝑣 =
𝐴
𝑃
= 2
𝜋𝑑 /4

𝑃 = 2𝑓𝑣 𝐴

𝑃 = 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟

𝐴 = 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 − 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟
𝑓𝑣 = 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
Bolted Shear Connections: SHEAR STRENGTH
Shear Load on a bolt is
Bolted Shear
Connections:
SHEAR STRENGTH
 Bolted Shear Connections
B. Failure of the parts being connected
Fall into two general categories:
1. Failure resulting from excessive tension, shear or bending in the
parts being connected.
-If a tension member is being connected, tension on both the gross area
and effective net area must be investigated. Depending on the
configuration of the connection, block shear might also need to be
considered.
*The design of a tension member connection will usually be done in parallel with the design of
the member itself because the two processes are interdependent.
 Bolted Shear Connections: BLOCK SHEAR
For certain connection configurations, a segment or “block” of material at the end of the
member can tear out. For example, the connection of the single-angle tension member shown
in Figure 3.21 is susceptible to this phenomenon, called block shear.

For the case illustrated, the shaded block would tend to fail by shear along the longitudinal
section ab and by tension on the transverse section bc.
Bolted Shear
Connections:
BLOCK SHEAR
 Bolted Shear Connections
2. Failure of the connected part
because of bearing exerted by the
fasteners.

If the hole is slightly larger than the fastener and the

fastener is assumed to be placed loosely in the hole,
contact between the fastener and the connected part
will exist over approximately half the circumference of
the fastener when a load is applied.
This condition is illustrated in Figure 7.5. The stress will
vary from a maximum at A to zero at B; for simplicity, an
average stress, computed as the applied force divided
by the projected area of contact, is used.
 Bolted Shear Connections
2. Failure of the connected part
because of bearing exerted by
the fasteners.
𝑃
𝑓𝑝 = 𝑃 = 𝑓𝑝 𝐴
𝐴
𝑃
=
𝑑𝑡
𝑃 = 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟
𝑑 = 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝑡 = 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝑓𝑝 = 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-
Distance Requirements
Bearing strength is independent of the type of fastener
because the stress under consideration is on the part being
connected rather than on the fastener. For this reason,
bearing strength, as well as spacing and edge-distance
requirements, which also are independent of the type of
fastener, will be considered before bolt shear and tensile
strength.
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-
Distance Requirements
A possible failure mode
resulting from excessive
bearing is shear tear-out at the
end of a connected element,
as shown in Figure 7.7a.
 Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-
Distance Requirements
If the failure surface is idealized as shown in Figure 7.7b, the
failure load on one of the two surfaces is equal to the shear
fracture stress times the shear area, or
 Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-
Distance Requirements
The nominal bearing strength of a single bolt therefore can be
expressed as
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-Distance Requirements
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-Distance Requirements
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-Distance Requirements
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-Distance Requirements
Bearing Strength, Spacing,& Edge-Distance Requirements
 Slip-Critical & Bearing-Type Connections
A connection with high-strength bolts is classified as either a slip-critical connection
or a bearing-type connection. A slip-critical connection is one in which no slippage is
permitted—that is, the friction force must not be exceeded.
In a bearing type connection, slip is acceptable, and shear and bearing actually occur.
In some
types of structures, notably bridges, the load on connections can undergo many
cycles of reversal. In such cases, fatigue of the fasteners can become critical if the
connection is allowed to slip with each reversal, and a slip-critical connection is
advisable.
In most structures, however, slip is perfectly acceptable, and a bearing type
connection is adequate. (A307 bolts are used only in bearing-type connections.)
 Slip-Critical Connections
The resistance to slip will be a function of the product of the coefficient of static friction and
the normal force between the connected parts. This relationship is reflected in the provisions
of the AISC Specification. The nominal slip resistance of a bolt is given by
Slip-Critical Connections
Sample Problem 01:

A plate of A36 steel is used as a tension member as shown. The gusset plate is 15-mm
thick and is also a A36 steel. The bolts are M22 A325 (full threaded). No slip is
permitted. Determine the strength of the connection.
a. Use LRFD
b. Use ASD

75
Solution:
➢For efficiency, the nominal strength for each limit state will be computed before specializing the solution for
LRFD and ASD.
Limit States:
a) Shear Strength
b) Slip-critical Strength
c) Bearing Strength
d) Tension on the Gross Area
e) Tension on the Net Area
f) Block Shear Strength
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
The figure shows a structural tee segment
connected to the flange of a column for the
purpose of attaching a bracing member. This
bracing member is oriented in such a way that
the line of action of the member force passes
through the center of gravity of the connection.

The vertical component of the load will put

the fasteners in shear, and the horizontal
component will cause tension (with the
possible inclusion of prying forces). Since the
line of action of the load acts through the
center of gravity of the connection, each
fastener can be assumed to take an equal
share of each component.
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
As in other cases of combined loading, an interaction formula approach can be used. The shear and
tensile strengths for bearing-type bolts are based on test results (Chesson et al., 1965) that can be
represented by the elliptical interaction curve shown in the figure.
The equation of this curve can be expressed in a general way as:
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
The AISC Specification approximates the elliptical curve with three straight line segments as shown
in Figure 7.32.

The equation of the sloping line is given by

Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
Combined Shear and
Tension in Fasteners
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
In slip-critical connections subject to both shear and tension, interaction of shear and tension need not be
investigated. However, the effect of the applied tensile force is to relieve some of the clamping force,
thereby reducing the available friction force. The AISC Specification reduces the slip-critical strength for
this case.
The reduction is made by multiplying the slip-critical strength by a factor ks as follows:
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
Combined Shear and Tension in Fasteners
Sample Problem 02

A WT 300x47.3 is used as a bracket to transmit a 200 kN

service load to a W350× 135 column, as previously
shown in the figure. The load consists of 50 kN dead
load and 150 kN live load. Four M22 A325 bolts are
used. The column is of A992 steel, and the bracket is
A36.

Assume all spacing and edge-distance requirements are

satisfied, including those necessary for the use of the
maximum nominal strength in bearing (i.e., 2.4 dtFu),
and determine the adequacy of the bolts for the
following types of connections:
(a) bearing-type connection with the threads in shear
and
(b) slip-critical connection with the threads in shear.