Design of Steel Structure

Types of bolts
Bolts used in steel structure are of three types
1. Unfinished bolts/common/ordinary/black bolts
2. Turned and fitted bolts and
3. High strength friction grip (HSFG) bolts

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 Design of Steel Structure
1. Common Black bolts (Unfinished bolts)
This type of bolts are made of mild steel and are usually of Grade 4.6
( the number before the decimal indicates 1/100th of the nominal tensile
strength and the number after the decimal indicates the ratio of yield stress
to ultimate strength). Thus, the ultimate tensile strength of class 4.6 bolt is
400 N/mm2 and the yield strength is 240 N/mm2 ( 0.6* 400 = 240).
The bolts are available in diameters 5 to 36mm and are designated as M5
to M36.
Area of nominal plain shank of bolt = (π*d^2)/4
Net area of threads = 0.78*(π*d^2)/4
These bolts are used to simple connections.
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Er. MD Abrar Aalam (Structural Engineer)
 Design of Steel Structure
2. Turned and fitted bolts
These are similar to unfinished bolts, with the differences that the shank
of these bolts is formed from a hexagonal rod. The surface of the bolts are
prepared carefully and are machined to fit in the hole.
These bolts have high shear and bearing resistance as compared to
unfinished bolts.
Turned and fitted bolts are available from grade 4.6 to grade 8.8
These bolts are used to simple connection and
Withstand static load.

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Er. MD Abrar Aalam (Structural Engineer)
 Design of Steel Structure
3. High strength grip bolts
These bolts are called friction grip bolts.
These are made from bars of medium carbon steel.
High strength of these bolts are achieved through quenching and
tempering process or by alloying steel.
Tensile strength of these bolts are several time greater than other bolts.
These bolts are available from grade 8.8 to grade 10.9.
These bolts are used to static, dynamic and also withstand impact load.

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 Design of Steel Structure
Load Transfer Mechanism
Depending on the type of bolts used for connection (ordinary bolt or
high strength bolt), the load transfer from one connected member to
another may be by shear and bearing or by friction.
The load transfer by shear and bearing is called bearing type connection
and that of by friction is called slip-resistant or slips critical connection.
In slip resistant connections, the entire forces are resisted by the
friction between the plates and the joints are not really placed in
shearing and bearing.
When the load in the member exceeds the frictional resistance of the
plates, there will be a slippage and consequently the bolts will be placed
in shear and bearing behave like a bearing type joint.
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 Design of Steel Structure

Shear transfer by bearing type bolt

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 Design of Steel Structure
Failure of bolted joints
There are two broad categories of failure:
1. Failure of the bolts
2. Failure of the parts being connected plates.
The joint may fail in any of the following mode:
i. Shear failure of the bolt: Shear stresses are generated when
the plates slip due to the applied forces. The maximum shear
stress in the bolt may exceed the nominal shear capacity of
the bolts. Shear failure of the bolts takes place at the bolt
shear plane. (Refer fig1)
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Er. MD Abrar Aalam (Structural Engineer)
 Design of Steel Structure
Failure of bolted joints
ii. Shear failure of the Plate: When an ordinary plates is
subjected to shear force, the slip takes place and the bolt comes
in contact with the plates. If the plate material is weaker than
bolt then the shear tear-out at the connected member take
place. (Refer fig 2)
iii. Bearing Failure of the bolt: In this bolt is crushed around the
half circumference. The plate maybe strong in bearing and the
heaviest plate may press the bolt shank. (Refer fig 3)
iv. Bearing failure of plate: In this the plate material gets
crushed because of the bolt subjected to shear force and the
plate material is weaker than the bolt material. (Refer fig 4)
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Er. MD Abrar Aalam (Structural Engineer)
 Design of Steel Structure
Failure of bolted joints
v. Tension failure of bolts: Bolts subjected to tension may fail at
the stressed area. (refer fig 5)
vi. Tension failure of plates (Rupture of plate): It occurs when
the bolt is stronger than the plate materials. (refer fig 6)
vii. Block shear failure: The failure of connections in block shear
may occur when a block of material within the bolted area
breaks away from the remainder area. Possibility of this kind of
failure increase when the high strength bolts are used.
(refer fig 7)

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 Design of Steel Structure

Fig 1: Shear failure of bolt.

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 Design of Steel Structure

Fig 2: Shear failure of Plate.

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 Design of Steel Structure

Fig 2: Bearing failure of Bolt.

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 Design of Steel Structure

Fig 4: Bearing failure of Plate.

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 Design of Steel Structure

Fig 6: Tension failure of Plate.

Fig 5: Tension failure of Bolt.

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 Design of Steel Structure

Fig 7: Block shear failure

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