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    CHAPTER III

    STRUCTURAL BOLTS

    This chapter provides an in depth discussion of structural bolts including the

    materials from which they are made, manufacturing processes, design require-

    ments, strength, stiffness and ductility considerations and behavior of instru-

    mented bolts. Since the scope of the research was limited to high-strength

    structural bolts, discussion of bolt types other than A325 and A490 will be limited

    to providing background information.

    First, a background of standard bolt grades and material properties for high

    strength structural bolts will be presented, including a brief discussion of foreign

    bolt specifications. Next, the dimensions and manufacturing techniques of bolts

    will be discussed. This will be followed a discussion of common installation and

    fabrication techniques. An evaluation of current models for predicting the strength

    and stiffness characteristics of bolts is given next, followed by a brief discussion of

    ductility. Finally, the results of a comprehensive testing program will be presented

    followed by a discussion and conclusions.

    3.1 Standard Bolt Grades

    Bolts typically used for structural joining applications can be classified based

    on three ASTM specifications: A307, A325, and A490. A307 bolts, or black bolts,

    are available in diameters ranging from 1/4 to 4 and in Grades A, B, and C.

    Grade A bolts are intended for general applications and have a specified minimum

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    tensile strength of 60 ksi. Grade B bolts are intended for flange joints in piping

    systems and have a tensile strength of 60 - 100 ksi. Grade C bolts are available

    as anchor bolts or studs manufactured from A36 steel with a tensile strength of 58

    - 80 ksi (ASTM A307-94).

    A325 bolts are available standard diameters ranging from 1/2 to 1-1/2.

    Bolts with diameters up to and including 1 have a minimum tensile strength of

    120 ksi and bolts with larger diameters have a minimum tensile strength of 105

    ksi. A325 are available in two types. Type 1 bolts are manufactured from medium

    carbon, carbon boron, or medium carbon alloy steel. A325 Type 3 bolts are made

    from corrosion resistant steel with weathering characteristics comparable to A588

    steel. The A325 Type 2 bolt specification was withdrawn in November of 1991,

    but consisted of bolts made from low carbon martensite steel (ASTM A325-97;

    Kulak et al., 1987).

    A490 bolts have a specified minimum tensile strength of 150 ksi and are

    available in three types. A490 Type 1 bolts are available in diameters from 1/2 to

    1-1/2 and are manufactured from alloy steel. A490 Type 2 bolts are available in

    diameters of 1/2 to 1 and made from low carbon martensite steel. A490 Type 3

    bolts are available in diameters from 1/2 to 1-1/2 and are made from corrosion

    resistant steel with weathering characteristics comparable to A588 steel (ASTM

    A490-97).

    3.1.1 Other Bolt Types

    Structural bolts other than those described above are also available. Both

    the A325 and A490 specifications have metric companions designated A325M

    and A490M, respectively. The bolts are designated M16, M20, M22, M24, M27,

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    M30, and M36. The M indicates that bolt is metric and the following number is

    the nominal diameter in millimeters (CISC, 1997; ISO 7411).

    The International for Organization Standards (ISO) has introduced a set of

    specifications for bolts, nuts and washers that is very similar to the ASTM stan-

    dards. ISO 7411 governs high strength structural bolts with large widths across

    the flats and ISO 7412 govern high strength structural bolts with short thread

    lengths. ISO 898 governs the properties of the material from which bolts are man-

    ufactured. Property classes 8.8 and 10.9 correspond closely to ASTM material

    specifications for A325 and A490 bolts, respectively. In addition to defining mini-

    mum tensile strengths for the materials, the ISO specifies minimum elongations

    after fracture that the bolt material must be able to sustain, thus providing mini-

    mum ductilities in the specification. Designations for ISO bolts consist of the

    specification number followed by the bolt size and property class. An ISO 7411 -

    M16 x 80 - 8.8 bolt, for example, is a high strength structural bolt with a diameter

    of 16 mm and a length of 80 mm made from material conforming to the 8.8 prop-

    erty class. The ISO bolts are available in the same sizes as the A325M and

    A490M bolts. A 12 mm diameter bolt is also available but is not recommended for

    use (ISO 7411).

    The Deutsches Institut fr Normung, or the German Specification, has a bolt

    specification very similar to the ISO specification. DIN 6914 is the specification

    that governs structural bolts. Like the ISO bolts, they are available in grades 8.8

    and 10.9 which are similar to ASTM A325 and A490 bolts, respectively (Steurer,

    1996).

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    3.2 Bolt Materials

    The behavior of any structural component is highly dependent on the proper-

    ties of material from which it is produced; bolts are no exception. The variations in

    the characteristics of different grades and types of bolts is almost entirely due to

    the variation of material properties.

    3.2.1 Steel Composition

    Because steel is invariably the material from which structural bolts are

    made, a discussion of its composition is warranted. Typical carbon steel is made

    up of iron, carbon, manganese, silicon, copper, phosphorus, sulfur, and other

    residual elements. The properties of a heat of steel are largely dependent on the

    amount of carbon present. Low carbon steel is typically classified as steel con-

    taining between 0.02% and 0.30% carbon, medium carbon steel is typically classi-

    fied as steel with carbon levels from 0.30% to 0.70%, and steel with carbon levels

    greater than 0.70% is classified as high carbon steel (Pollack, 1988). Carbon is

    the principal hardening element in steel. Increasing the level of carbon increases

    the steels strength and hardness but at the cost of reduced ductility (AISI, 1986).

    A steel is classified as an alloy if certain elements are present in levels

    greater than specified limits. Typical alloying elements include manganese, phos-

    phorous, sulfur, silicon, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, copper, and

    boron (AISI, 1986). More desirable hardening and ductility characteristics can be

    achieved by using an alloy steel instead of standard carbon steel. Table 3-1 lists

    chemical requirements for A325 Type 1, A490 Type 1 and A490 Type 2 bolts

    (ASTM A325-97; ASTM A490-97).

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    * 1-1/2 diameter A490 Type 1 bolts require a carbon content of 0.35-0.53%. Boron shall not be added intentionally. Sufficient elements must be present so as to classify the steel as an alloy by the AISI.

    3.2.2 Heat Treatment and Hardness Characteristics

    To help increase strength and hardness while maintaining acceptable ductil-

    ity levels, high-strength structural bolts must be quenched and tempered. A325

    and A490 bolts are heated to a temperature above their transformation tempera-

    ture, quenched, and then tempered to a temperature of at least F except for

    A490 Type 2 bolts which are tempered at a temperature of at least F (ASTM

    A325-97; ASTM A490-97). A325 bolts are typically tempered at F and A490

    bolts are typically tempered at F (Baumsta, 1998). The range of hard-

    nesses for structural bolts is shown Table 3-2.

    Table 3-1: Chemical Requirements for A325 and A490 Bolts.

    Element

    A325 Type 1 A490

    Carbon C Boron C Alloy Type 1* Type 2

    C 0.30-0.52% 0.30-0.52% 0.30-0.52% 0.30-0.48% 0.15-0.34%

    Mn, min 0.60% 0.60% 0.60% --- 0.70%

    P, max 0.040% 0.040% 0.035% 0.040% 0.040%

    S 0.050% 0.050% 0.040% 0.040% 0.050%

    Si 0.15-0.30% 0.10-0.30% 0.15-0.35% ---

    B 0.0005-0.003% 0.0005% min

    800

    650

    800

    1200

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    3.3 Dimensions of High-Strength Fasteners

    Figure 3-1 shows standard dimensioning nomenclature for high-strength fas-

    teners. Heavy-hex, high-strength bolts are specially sized so that the same size

    wrench will fit both the nut and the head of the bolt. Additionally, the thread

    length, Lt, of high-strength bolts is shorter than for conventional bolts to allow the

    threads to be easily excluded from the shear plane when used in shear. Because

    of this, connection designers must take care when specifying the lengths of bolts

    to provide enough threads to avoid jamming the nut into the thread runout when

    pretensioning the bolt.

    Table 3-2: Hardness Requirements for Structural Bolts.

    Type Diameter, dB Length

    Brinell Rockwell

    Min Max Min Max

    A307

    Grade A1/2 to 4

    < 3dB 121 241 69 RB 100 RB

    > 3dB --- 241 --- 100 RB

    A325

    1/2 to 1< 3dB 253 319 25 RC 34 RC

    > 3dB --- 319 --- 34 RC

    1-1/8 to 1-1/2< 3dB 223 286 19 RC 30 RC

    > 3dB --- 286 --- 30 RC

    A490 1/2 to 1-1/2< 3dB 311 352 33 RC 38 RC

    > 3dB --- 352 --- 38 RC

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    Figure 3-1: Nomenclature for Heavy-Hex Fastener Dimensions

    3.4 Manufacturing Techniques

    Bolts are manufactured in one of two basic ways; by forming or threading.

    Each of these two manufacturing techniques can be broken down further into sub-

    categories. Forming methods include cold heading, warm heading, hot forging or

    forming, and turning or screw machining. Threading methods include roll thread-

    ing, cut threading, and ground threading (Phebus et al., 1998). ASTM specifica-

    tions require that A325 and A490 bolts be either rolled or cut while A307 bolts may

    either cold or hot forged, or machined from bar stock (ASTM A307-94; ASTM

    A325-97; ASTM A490-97).

    Hb

    F

    Ls

    Lb

    Lth

    ID

    OD WT Hn

    A325

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    3.5 Nuts and Washers

    Nuts conforming to the A194/A194M or A563 specifications must be used

    with A325 and A490 bolts. When washers are used with A325 bolts, they must

    conform to either the F436 or F959 specification. When washers are used with

    A490 bolts, they must conform to the F436 specification. The use of washers is

    discussed further in Section 3.6.2 (ASTM A325-97; ASTM A490-97).

    3.6 Bolt Installation

    The installation of high-strength fasteners in structural systems must be

    closely monitored to ensure that the proper pretension is applied to each bolt.

    Variables that influence the installation of bolts include the type of tension control

    system used, the type and size of bolts used, and the amount of lubrication

    present on the bolts. Although they are permitted to be used as snug tight fasten-

    ers, high-strength bolts are usually fully tensioned. To provide adequate preten-

    sion, the bolt is tightened until the tension in the bolt approaches or slightly

    exceeds the yield point of the bolt, typically 70% of the tensile strength. Table 3-3

    shows the required pretensions by bolt type and size (AISC, 1994). The required

    pretensions for bolts above 1 in diameter can be difficult to attain. For this rea-

    son, fully tensioned bolts larger than 1 in diameter are not often used.

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    3.6.1 Pretensioning Methods

    Several methods of pretensioning are available. They include the turn-of-

    the-nut method, calibrated wrench method, and use of direct tension indicators or

    tension control bolts.

    The turn-of-the-nut method consists of calculating the amount of nut rotation,

    past the snug tight condition, that is necessary to induce the required tension in

    the bolt. Rotations of to are typical. The calibrated wrench method

    consists of using a torque wrench, either manual, electric, or pneumatic, that is

    calibrated with a torque-tension tester.

    The Skidmoore-Wilhelm torque-tension tester, shown in Figure 3-2, provides

    an accurate measure of the bolt tension relative to the torque applied by the

    wrench. The tester is a doughnut shaped hydraulic load cell that has been cali-

    brated in some unit of force, usually kips. A cross section of the tester is shown in

    Figure 3-3. It is made up of an inner piston that slides inside an outer housing.

    interchangeable bushings and face plates allow a wide range of bolt sizes to be

    tested. As the a bolt is tightened in the tester, forces are exerted on the face plate

    Table 3-3: Required Pretension for High-Strength Bolts (kips) (AISC, 1994)

    Diameter A325 A490

    1/2 12 15

    5/8 19 24

    3/4 28 35

    7/8 39 49

    1 51 64

    1-1/8 56 80

    1-1/4 71 102

    1-3/8 85 121

    1-1/2 103 148

    120 240

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    and bushing which, in turn, create a hydraulic pressure that can be measured and

    converted back into a force. The full stroke of the piston is approximately 0.25.

    Figure 3-2: Skidmoore-Wilhelm Type Torque-Tension Tester

    Direct tension indicators or load indicator washers, shown in Figure 3-4(a),

    are washers that have raised dimples on their face that flatten out against thebase material as the nut is tightened. When the gap between the flat part of the

    washer and the base material reaches a set limit, the bolt has reached its full pre-

    tension. Different washers are required for A325 and A490 of the same diameter

    because of the different pretensioning requirements.

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    Figure 3-3: Cross section of Skidemoore-Wilhelm Torque-Tension Tester

    Tension control or twist-off bolts, shown in Figure 3-4(b), are bolts that have

    a spine attached to the threaded end. A special wrench holds the spine and the

    nut and turns them relative to each other until the spine shears off. The bolt man-

    ufacturer calibrates the bolts so that the spines twist off when the bolt pretension

    has reached the specified level.

    Retaining Ring

    Hydraulic Piston

    InterchangableBushing

    Outer Housing

    InterchangableFace Plate

    Hydraulic Oil

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    Figure 3-4: DTI Washers (a) and Tension Control Bolts (b)

    When using the calibrated wrench method or tension control bolts, great

    care must be taken to prevent the nut from running up onto the thread runout por-

    tion of the bolt. If this happens, either the torque measurements will be errone-

    ous, or the spine will twist-off of the tension control bolt without inducing the

    desired pretension. Bolts designed for shear in the threads excluded configura-

    tion are particularly susceptible to this problem. The problem can be avoided by

    using additional washers.1

    3.6.2 Bolt Friction

    When a high-strength bolt is tensioned by torquing, approximately 40 to 50%

    of the applied torque is lost in friction between the bearing faces of the bolt and

    the base material and 30 to 40% is lost due to friction between the nut and bolt

    threads. This leaves only 10 to 30% of the applied torque to induce the axial pre-

    1. The 1994 LRFD, on page 8-8, states that additional washers are permitted to be used

    under the nut or under the head when circumstances permit. It is recommended by theauthor, however, that shim plates be used when more than four washers are required.

    (a) (b)

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    tension (Barron et al., 1998a). Reducing the amount of friction in the bolt system

    allows the same pretension to be applied with a lower torque.

    The torque-tension relationship of bolts can be expressed in its simplest

    form as (Novak et al., 1998)

    . EQ 3-1

    where:

    T = the applied torque (k-in)

    K = the nut factor

    db = the bolt diameter (in)

    F = the bolt pretension (kip)

    The nut factor is a measure of the friction present in the bolt, nut, and washer sys-

    tem. The average nut factor for a 1 diameter A490 bolt as received from the sup-

    plier is 0.179, the average nut factor for the same bolt preserved with Johnson

    stick wax is 0.275, and the average nut factor for a rusty 1 diameter A490 bolt is

    0.389 (Novak et al., 1998). Two of the easiest ways to reduce bolt friction are to

    use washers and lubricants.

    Washers help to reduce the friction between the bearing surfaces of the nut

    face and base material by providing a clean, smooth surface, free of mill scale andrust. The use of washers under the turned element is required by the RCSC

    specification when high-strength bolts in standards holes are tensioned by the cal-

    ibrated wrench method, or when the yield strength of the base metal is less than

    40 ksi (RCSC, 1996). When tension control bolts are used, the nut and washer

    T KdbF

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    that are supplied with the bolt must be used. ASTM F436 hardened washers are

    typically used with high-strength bolts.

    By using commercially available lubricants, the nut factor can be reduced to

    values of 0.050 to 0.100 (Novak et al., 1998). When using lubricants, it is impor-

    tant to lubricate both the threads and the bearing faces of the bolt head, nut face,

    washers and base material.

    3.7 Strength

    Of the many characteristics of bolts, strength is the most important. The

    possible failure modes of bolts are tensile failure, shear failure, and combined ten-

    sile and shear failure.

    3.7.1 Tensile Strength

    Tensile loading is the most fundamental mode of loading of bolts. The possi-

    ble failure mechanisms under axial loading are tension failure of the bolt, stripping

    of the bolt threads, and stripping of the nut threads. High-strength fasteners are

    designed so that tension failure of the bolt will occur before stripping of the

    threads. As a result, the design engineer need only be concerned with tensile

    strength of the bolt.

    The axial strength of a bolt can be calculated as the ultimate strength of the

    bolt material multiplied by the cross sectional area of the bolt. Considering a fail-

    ure in the shank of the bolt, the cross sectional area is calculated as shown in

    Equation 3-2 (Barron et al., 1998a).

    EQ 3-2Ab4db

    2

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    where

    Ab = cross sectional area of the bolt shank (in2)

    db = nominal diameter of the bolt (in)

    Bolts subjected to tension rarely fracture through the shank, though, and

    using the area of the shank in capacity calculations can result in an overestimate

    of the bolts actual strength. Another alternative is to use the root area of the

    threads in capacity calculations, as shown in Equation 3-3 (Barron et al., 1998a).

    EQ 3-3

    where

    Abr = cross sectional area of the bolts root (in2)

    nth = number of threads per inch of the bolt

    Tests conducted on fasteners show that using the root area for strength cal-

    culations yields conservative results. Equation 3-4 is an empirical equation that

    returns an area that is midway between the root and shank area (ASTM A490-97;

    Barron et al., 1998a).

    EQ 3-4

    Abr4 db

    1.3

    nth

    2

    Abe 4 db

    0.9743nth

    2

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    where

    Abe = effective cross sectional area of the bolt

    It should be noted that Equations 3-3 and 3-4 are not valid for metric bolts.

    Equations 3-5 and 3-6 should be used for metric bolts (Barron et al., 1998a).

    EQ 3-5

    EQ 3-6

    where

    pb = thread pitch of a bolt (mm)

    The number of threads included in the grip of the bolt has an effect on the

    bolts capacity. ASTM F606 requires that heavy hex bolts be tensile tested with

    four complete threads exposed within the grip. This is in contrast to the six

    exposed threads required for standard bolts (ASTM A490-97).

    It has been noted in the literature that the tensile strength of a bolt is, to a

    small degree, a dependent on the length of threads present in the bolts grip, Ltg.

    Testing has demonstrated that the ultimate capacity of bolts with fewer threads in

    the grip is slightly larger than the capacity of bolts with many threads present in

    the grip. The increase in capacity is not generally regarded as being sufficient to

    require a certain number of threads be included or excluded from the grip. The

    only requirement is that the end of the bolt be at least flush with the face of the nut

    so that all of the threads within the nut are engaged. A general rule of thumb that

    Abr4 db 1.3pb( )

    2

    Abe4 db 0.9382pb( )

    2

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    is often used is to require that two threads of the bolt stick out beyond the face of

    the nut.

    3.7.1.1 LRFD

    An alternative method for the determination of the tensile strength of bolts is

    used by the LRFD (AISC, 1994). The capacity is computed as

    EQ 3-7

    where

    Bn = the nominal tensile resistance of the bolt

    Ft = the effective tensile strength of the bolt material,

    Ab = the nominal area of the bolts shank

    Ft is taken as 90 ksi for A325 bolts and 113 ksi for A490 bolts. Table 3-4

    shows the ratios of the effective tensile area of a bolt to its gross area. Since Abe

    / Ab is approximately equal to 0.75, Equation 3-7 provides a reasonable estimate

    of the bolt strength for the range of bolt sizes typically used for bolted connections.

    For design, the nominal tensile resistance of the bolt, Bn, is multiplied by a resis-

    tance factor, bf, of 0.75.

    Bn FtAb

    Ft 0.75Fu

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    Table 3-4: Nominal and Effective Bolt Areas

    3.7.1.2 Eurocode

    The Eurocode (1993) predicts the tensile strength of a bolt as

    EQ 3-8

    where

    Bn = the nominal tensile resistance of the bolt

    Fu = the tensile strength of the bolt material

    Abe = the effective tensile area of the bolt

    The ultimate strength of the bolt material is taken as 800 N/mm2 (116 ksi) for

    grade 8.8 bolts and 1000 N/mm2 (145 ksi) for grade 10.9 bolts. For design, the

    nominal resistance of the bolt is divided by a partial safety factor, Mb, of 1.25.

    This results in a design resistance, Bn, of 0.72AbeFu.3.7.2 Shear Strength

    In its simplest form, the shear strength of a bolt is calculated by multiplying

    the bolt materials ultimate strength, reduced by 40% for shear stress instead of

    tensile stress, by the bolts cross sectional area. The cross sectional area

    Dia. nth Ab Abe Abr Abe/ Ab Abr / Ab

    1/2" 13 0.1963 0.1419 0.1257 0.7227 0.64005/8" 11 0.3068 0.2260 0.2017 0.7367 0.6576

    3/4" 10 0.4418 0.3345 0.3019 0.7571 0.6834

    7/8" 9 0.6013 0.4617 0.4192 0.7679 0.6971

    1" 8 0.7854 0.6057 0.5509 0.7713 0.7014

    1-1/8" 7 0.9940 0.7633 0.6929 0.7679 0.6971

    1-1/4" 7 1.2272 0.9691 0.8896 0.7897 0.7249

    1-3/8" 6 1.4849 1.1549 1.0538 0.7778 0.7097

    1-1/2" 6 1.7671 1.4052 1.2935 0.7952 0.7320

    Bn 0.9FuAbe

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    depends on whether the shear plane passes through the shank of the bolt or

    through its threads. When the shear plane passes through the bolts shank, Ag

    should be used and when it passes through the threaded portion, Ar should be

    used. The advantage of designing a connection with the threads excluded from

    the shear plane becomes obvious upon examination of Equations 3-2 and 3-3.

    Bolts subjected to shear through their threads have strengths ranging from 64% to

    73% of the same bolts subjected to shear through their shanks. The reduced

    thread length of heavy hex bolts allows the threads to be more easily excluded

    from the shear plane than for standard bolts.

    3.7.2.1 LRFD

    The LRFD (AISC, 1994) uses a design approach for the shear resistance of

    a bolt that is similar to the approach used for the tensile strength. The nominal

    shear resistance is calculated as

    EQ 3-9

    where

    Bv = the nominal shear resistance of the bolt

    Fv = the effective shear strength of the bolt material

    Ab = the gross area of the bolts shankWhen the threads of the bolt are excluded from the shear plane, Fv is calcu-

    lated as (AISC, 1994)

    Bv FvAb

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    and for grade 10.9 bolts with the threads not excluded from the shear plane,

    EQ 3-14

    where

    Bv = the nominal shear resistance of the bolt

    Fu = the ultimate strength of the bolt material

    Ab = the gross area of the bolts shank

    Abe = the effective tensile area of the bolt

    As with the tensile strength, the nominal shear strength is divided by a partial

    safety factor, Mb, of 1.25 to obtain the design resistance.

    3.7.3 Torsional Strength

    The shear stress of a bolt subjected to torsion is described by Equation 3-15

    below.

    EQ 3-15

    where:

    = shear stress (ksi)

    T = applied torque (k-in)

    = radius of the point of stress (in)

    J = polar moment of inertia (in4)

    Bv 0.5FuAbe

    TJ

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    Substituting the bolts polar moment of inertia and the outer radius into Equation

    3-15 yields the maximum shear stress in the bolt (Barron et al., 1998a).

    EQ 3-16

    where:

    dr = the diameter of the root of the threads (in)

    The importance of the torsional strength of fasteners becomes obvious when

    using fully tensioned, high-strength bolts. A typical 7/8 diameter A490 bolt

    requires 600 to 640 ft-lbs of torque to provide adequate pretension. Assuming

    that 50% of that torque is applied directly to the bolt (the other 50% being attrib-

    uted to friction and axial tension) shear stresses of up 50 ksi can be generated.

    3.7.4 BendingAlthough bolts arent typically designed for bending, bending stresses are

    often present due to misalignment, non-perpendicular holes, joint prying and other

    causes. The stress in a bolt due to bending is the same as for any other typical

    member and is written as

    . EQ 3-17

    max16T

    dr

    McI

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    where:

    = bending stress (ksi)

    M = applied bending moment (k-in)

    c = distance from the neutral axis of the point of stress (in)

    I = the moment of inertia of the bolt (in4)

    Coupled with the pretension and tension due to loading, the bending stresses can

    be critical. The commentary to the LRFD addresses the bending of fasteners by

    using a relatively low resistance factor of 0.75 for strength calculations (AISC,

    1994).

    3.7.5 Combined Loading

    So far, four individual modes of loading have been discussed. In connec-

    tions, though, fasteners are often subjected to a combination of loadings. A com-

    bination of shear and tension, for example, is often present in connections

    between diagonal bracing and beam and columns. The simple act of pretension-

    ing a bolt induces both shear stress from the applied torque and axial stress from

    the resulting pretension. In fact, tests show that the tensile capacity of a bolt is

    reduced by as much as 15-20% during pretensioning (Barron et al., 1998a). For

    these reasons, it is clear that combined loading conditions deserve special atten-

    tion.

    Tests conducted at the University of Illinois indicate that the interaction

    between shear and tension in bolts can be accurately predicted by using the ellip-

    tical relationship (Kulak et al., 1987)

    . EQ 3-18x

    2

    0.62( )2 y

    2 1.0

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    where:

    x = ratio of shear stress to tensile strength

    y = ratio of tensile stress to tensile strength

    This relationship can be reduced to a circular one if the ratio of shear stress to

    shear strength that is shown in Equation 3-19 is used.

    EQ 3-19

    where:

    RT = ratio of tensile stress to tensile strength

    RV = ratio of shear stress of shear strength

    The LRFD recommends a simplified, tri-linear version of the circular relationship.

    Both relationships are shown in Figure 3-5.

    The relationship between torsion and tension in bolts is critical because

    high-strength bolts are nearly always fully tensioned by torquing. Figure 3-6

    shows the load-elongation curves for two bolts. The upper curve represents a bolt

    that was loaded from the snug tight condition until failure and the lower curve rep-

    resents a bolt that was fully tensioned before being loaded to failure. The fully ten-

    sioned bolt yields at a lower tension than the snug tight bolt because of the

    interaction between the axial and torsional stresses. After being fully tensioned,

    though, the torsion is relieved and the bolt is able to reach the full tensile strength

    of the snug tight bolt. The dashed portion of the lower curve represents the

    behavior of a bolt that is loaded to failure by torquing.

    RT2

    RV2

    1.0

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    Figure 3-5: Tension-Shear Interaction Relationship for Bolts

    Figure 3-6: Fully Tension vs. Snug Tight P- Curves for Bolts

    RV

    RT

    0

    1

    0 1

    RT2

    RV2

    1.0

    RT RV 1.3

    Elongation

    BoltLoad

    Fully Tensioned

    Snug Tight

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    It should be noted that well lubricated twist-off or tension control bolts dont

    exhibit the behavior shown in Figure 3-6 because torsion only exists in the portion

    of the bolt between the twist-off spine and the nut. When a standard bolt is tight-

    ened, a torque is applied to the shank of the bolt. It is this torsion that, combined

    the applied tension, affects the behavior of the bolt. When a tension control bolt is

    tightened, the torque is applied to the portion of the bolt between the twist of

    spline and the nut. Any residual torsion present in the shank of a tension control

    bolt is left as a result of friction between the nut or bolt head and the washers.

    Because of this, the tension control bolts will tend to follow the path of the snug

    tight bolts in Figure 3-6, even when they are fully tensioned.

    3.8 Stiffness

    The stiffness of structural joints using bolts in tension depends greatly on the

    stiffness of the individual bolts. Because of this, accurate predictions of the stiff-

    ness of the individual bolts are essential to accurate models of the overall connec-

    tion stiffness.

    The stiffness of an axially loaded member can be expressed in the familiar

    form shown in Equation 3-20.

    EQ 3-20kAE

    L

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    where:

    k = local axial stiffness (kip/in)

    A = the cross sectional area of the member (in2)

    E = the modulus of elasticity (ksi)

    L = the member length (in)

    The stiffness of a bolt is complicated, though, by the fact that it has a changing

    cross section. As shown in Figure 3-1 and Section 3.7.1, the cross sectional area

    of the bolts shank is larger than that of its threaded portion. This difference in

    area can be represented by considering a component spring with different stiff-

    nesses in series. The stiffnesses are calculated by using Equation 3-20 for each

    section separately. The overall stiffness is then calculated as shown in Equations

    3-21(a) and 3-21(b) (Barron et al., 1998b).

    EQ 3-21(a)

    EQ 3-21(b)

    where:

    Kb = the overall stiffness of the bolt (kip/in)

    ks = the stiffness of the bolt shank (kip/in)

    kt = the stiffness of the bolts threaded portion (kip/in)

    Ls = the length of the shank (in)

    1

    Kb

    1

    ks

    1

    kt

    1

    Kb

    LsAbE

    LtgAbeE

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    Ltg = the length of threads included in the bolts grip (in)

    Ab = the cross sectional area of the bolts shank (in2)

    Abe = the effective area of the bolts threaded portion (in2)

    Tests indicate that Equation 3-21(b) overestimates the stiffness of bolts. To

    slightly reduce the predicted stiffness, it has been proposed by Barron and Bick-

    ford (1998b) that part of the bolt head stiffness and part of the nut stiffness be

    included in the overall stiffness calculation. This adjustment is included as shown

    in Equation 3-22.

    EQ 3-22

    where:

    f = a correlation factor

    db = the nominal diameter of the bolt (in)

    Recommendations for the value of the factor, f, in Equation 3-22 range from 0.3 to

    0.6 (Barron et al., 1998b).

    3.9 Ductility

    The ductility of fasteners is important because fasteners are often the weak-

    est link in a bolted connection. Generally, steel loses ductility as it is hardened.

    Consequently, A490 bolts are generally considered to possess less ductility than

    A325 bolts because they are harder.

    1

    Kb

    fdbAbE

    LsAbE

    LtgAbeE

    fdbAbeE

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    The length of the threaded portion of the bolt that is present in its grip, L tg, is

    significant when considering ductility. This is true because nearly all of the yield-

    ing in the bolt takes place in its threaded portion. When more threads are

    included within the grip, more material is available for yielding and the overall

    elongation capacity, or ductility, of the bolt is greater.

    3.10 Individual Bolt Testing Program

    The objectives of the individual bolt testing were to 1) determine the preload

    of the bolts when the spline of the bolts twisted off, 2) verify the manufactures cer-

    tification for strength, 3) provide information about the stiffness and ductility of the

    bolts as a function of the length, and 4) provide benchmark strain-bolt force rela-

    tionships for the instrumented bolts.

    Several bolts were selected for testing from the lots of bolts used in the com-

    ponent and full scale tests. Because the strength, stiffness, and ductility of bolts is

    dependent on the diameter, grade, and length, two lengths of bolts were selected

    from the 7/8 in and 1 in diameter A325 and A490 lots.

    Several types of individual bolt tests were performed. The first type of tests

    conducted were calibration tests to determine the preload in the tension control

    bolts when the spline twisted off. The second type of tests conducted were direct

    tension tests to determine the bolts initial stiffness, yield point, ultimate strength

    and ductility. The Skidmore-Wilhelm torque tension tester was used for both

    types of tests. The third type of test conducted was an in-situ test to determine

    the relationship between the bolt force and externally applied load. Finally, bench-

    mark tests of instrumented bolts were performed to provide a relationship

    between the strain in a bolts shank and the bolt force.

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    It should be noted that the results of the tests documented here can only be

    rigorously applied to button head bolts. Although the behavior of hex head bolts

    will, in most respects, be nearly identical, differences in stiffness and strength may

    arise due to the different configuration. A comprehensive investigation of hex

    head bolt characteristics that is very similar to that documented here for button

    head bolts was conducted by Steurer (1996).

    3.10.1 Pretension Calibration Tests

    For the first type of test, the pretension calibration test, the Skidmore-Wil-

    helm torque tension tester was used alone as shown in Figure 3-2. The torque

    tension tester is essentially a hydraulic load cell with a hole in the center to allow a

    bolt to pass through. It consists of an inner piston with a 0.25 in stroke operating

    inside of an outer housing. The force of the bolt being tightened causes an

    increase in the internal hydraulic pressure which is then converted to force using a

    calibrated pressure transducer. An analog pressure gage calibrated to read bolt

    force in kips was supplied with the tester but an electronic pressure transducer

    was later added to facilitate automatic data acquisition. After adding the pressure

    transducer, the tester was recalibrated to its full scale capacity in a universal test-

    ing machine.

    3.10.1.1 Test Method

    For the pretension calibration tests, the bolt being tested was inserted

    though the center of the tester from behind and the spacer plates, washers, and

    nuts were installed on the bolt from the front. No more than four washers were

    used together on either side of the bolt (i.e. under the head or nut). When more

    washers were required for longer bolts, 1/2 in shim plates were used. After ensur-

    ing that enough washers and spacer plates were used to avoid running the nut

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    onto the shank of the bolt during tightening, the nut was tightened finger tight, and

    the data acquisition system was balanced. Next the bolt was tightened using one

    of two LeJeune wrenches until the spine of the bolt twisted off and the bolts pre-

    tension was recorded.

    The load reading from the pressure transducer dropped slightly (~3-5%)

    after the spine of the bolt twisted off but reached a constant value within 30 to 45

    seconds. This constant value was the value recorded as the pretension in the

    bolt.

    3.10.1.2 Results

    The results of 109 tests of LeJeune tension control bolts were used to verify

    the pretension induced when tightening. A significant difference in pretension

    was noticed between the bolts tightened using an electric wrench and the bolts

    tightened using a manual ratcheting wrench. On average, the pretension in bolts

    tightened with the manual wrench was 81.5% of the pretension required by the

    LRFD while electric wrench induced an average of 96.1% of the required preten-

    sion. Table 3-5 shows the results grouped by type and size of bolt.

    The pretension achieved was highly dependent on the condition of threads

    of the bolts. After sitting the kegs for several months, the bolts tended to dry out

    and lose the lubrication that was applied by the manufacturer. Informal tests of

    bolts in this condition resulted in very low pretensions. As a result, all bolts tested

    individually and in the component and full scale tests were well lubricated. This is

    a violation of ASTM F1852-98 which states that no lubrication shall be permitted

    other than that applied by the manufacturer. The author views this requirement

    as impractical. The bolts used in this investigation were kept in a well controlled

    environment, presumably in a much more desirable environment than would be

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    experienced on a typical job site, and the threads of the bolts still dried out result-

    ing in increased thread friction, larger nut factors, and lower induced pretensions.

    The potential drawbacks of adding additional lubrication are more than overshad-

    owed by the consequences of not adding lubrication.

    Table 3-5: Pretension Calibration Test Results

    3.10.1.3 DTI Washer Tests

    A small number of direct tension indicator washers were obtained and an

    informal investigation was conducted using standard hex head bolts. Five, 7/8

    diameter and two, 1 diameter A325 bolts were calibrated using the washers. The

    average preloads achieved were 44.6 kip and 58.3 kip, respectively. All of the

    pretensions exceeded the required pretensions of the LRFD (AISC, 1994).

    3.10.2 Direct Tension Testing

    Direct tension testing was conducted to obtain reliable load-elongation datafor the bolt which included the elastic stiffness, plastic stiffness, yield point, ulti-

    mate strength and ultimate elongation.

    Wrench: Elect Man Elect Man Elect Man Elect Man

    Average: 38.3 kip 37.5 kip 53.8 kip 42.0 kip 44.3 kip 36.2 kip 57.8 kip 47.1 kipSt Dev: 6.5 kip 12.3 kip 4.6 kip 2.2 kip 7.1 kip 8.5 kip 5.2 kip 4.2 kip

    Samples: 18 6 12 4 28 16 15 10

    Required: 39.0 kip 39.0 kip 51.0 kip 51.0 kip 49.0 kip 49.0 kip 64.0 kip 64.0 kip

    Ratio: 98.1% 96.2% 105.6% 82.4% 90.3% 73.9% 90.2% 73.7%

    7/8" A325 1" A325 7/8" A490 1" A490

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    3.10.2.1 Test Method

    The Skidmore-Wilhelm torque tension tester was again used for the tension

    testing but was attached to a hydraulic pump and placed into the test apparatus

    as shown in Figure 3-7. Attaching the tester to the hydraulic pump allowed a load

    to be applied to the bolt in pure tension instead of as a torqued tension. The

    tester was recalibrated after attaching the pump. The test apparatus allowed the

    elongation of the bolt to be measured as the force was applied to provide a force-

    elongation relationship for the bolt. LVDTs measured the displacement of the bolt

    head and the end of the bolt. The difference in the readings from the measured

    displacements provided the elongation. To avoid damaging the LVDTs with the

    bolts as they fractured, the LVDTs were attached to the bolts with fishing line that

    was strung over rods as shown in the figure. This allowed the LVDTs to be placed

    vertically and behind plexiglass, out of harms way.

    Two different procedures were used for the tension testing. Test method #1

    was used for tests 1-20 while method #2 was used for tests 21-73.

    3.10.2.1.1 Tension Test Method #1: The piston of the torque-tension tester

    was positioned very close to its fully contracted position. The bolt was then

    inserted, the spacer plates and washers were added and the nut was snugged

    tight. The LVDTs were then attached to the ends of the bolt, the data acquisition

    system was balanced and the bolt was loaded using the hydraulic pump to a point

    slightly above its expected pretension level. This provided data points for the

    elastic portion of the bolts force-elongation relationship. Next, the load was

    released from the bolt, the LVDT was detached from the nut end of the bolt, the

    bolt was pretensioned using one of the LeJeune wrenches and the pretension

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    was recorded. Finally, the LVDT was reattached to the nut end of the bolt and the

    bolt was loaded to failure with the hydraulic pump.

    Figure 3-7: Direct Bolt Tension Test Setup

    Using this method created several problems. First, positioning the piston of

    the tester near its fully contracted position was a problem because if the piston

    actually bottomed out while the bolt was being tightened with the wrench, the load

    readings obtained were erroneous. This happened a few times. The second

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    problem with this method is that the full range of the tester couldnt be used for the

    actual tension test and many of the bolts tested didnt actually fracture. Finally,

    the data reduction was difficult because the force-elongation relationship was

    obtained in two separate parts that had to be reconnected. This test method was

    abandoned in favor of method #2 after bolt test #20.

    3.10.2.1.2 Tension Test Method #2: For method #2, the piston of the tester

    was position at its fully extended position, the bolt was inserted, the washers and

    spacer plates were installed and the nut was snugged tight. The acquisition sys-

    tem was then balanced and the bolt was pretensioned with one of the LeJeune

    wrenches. After recording the pretension, the load was released and the piston

    was repositioned at its fully contracted position. Additional plates and washers

    were added to the same bolt as needed and the nut was again snugged tight.

    Finally, the LVDTs were attached to the ends of the bolt, the data acquisition was

    balanced and the bolt was loaded to failure using the hydraulic pump.

    Method #2 offered several advantages over method #1. First there was no

    danger of bottoming out the piston of the tester while pretensioning the bolt. Sec-

    ond, the full range of the tester was available for the tension testing. Finally, the

    reduction of data obtained using method number #2 was much easier than that

    obtained from method #1.

    3.10.2.2 Data Reduction

    The methods used to reduce the data varied depending on the type of test

    conducted and the method used. Some aspects of the data reduction were com-

    mon to all of the tests. These will be discussed here while those aspects specific

    to individual methods will be discussed under separate headings.

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    Because of the limited stroke of the tester, all of the bolts didnt actually frac-

    ture. All bolts which are included in this dissertation did at least reach a peak load

    level and were relaxing before the limit of the tester was reached. The force-elon-

    gation data presented for those that didnt fracture include a portion of apparent

    hardening at the end of the curves. This is due to the piston reaching the end of

    its stroke which caused an increase in internal hydraulic pressure without actually

    increasing the load on the bolt.

    The hydraulic pump that was used to load the bolts was a manual pump. As

    a result, the unrefined force-elongation curves contain divots that are due to a

    relaxation in the system when the handle of the pump is being raised between

    strokes. Although these divots may provide useful information, they have been

    removed from the data. Figure 3-8 shows a plot of the unrefined data with the

    smoothed data superimposed.

    3.10.2.2.1 Tension Test Method #1: The reduction of the data obtained from

    tension test method #1 required several steps. The elastic portion of the curve

    was obtained separately from the inelastic portion. As a result, an offset was

    present in the raw data. This offset was removed by examining points of common

    force between both data sets. Next, the initial portion of the elastic data was

    examined for linearity. Some data showed a lack of linearity in the first 5 to 10

    kips, apparently due to slack in the system. This nonlinear region, if present, was

    removed to avoid skewing the stiffness values obtained from the elastic portion of

    the curve. After eliminating any erroneous data points, an apparent yield point

    was identified and a best linear fit was made through the data up to this point.

    The slope of this linear fit was recorded as the elastic stiffness of the bolt. Next,

    the entire force-elongation curve was shifted to ensure that the linear fit passed

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    though the point of zero force and elongation. Finally, the data was smoothed by

    removing any divots from the inelastic region.

    Figure 3-8: Divots Caused by the Manual Hydraulic Pump

    3.10.2.2.2 Tension Test Method #2: The reduction of data obtained from

    tension test method #2 was the same as that for data obtained from tension test

    method #1 with the exception that the was no offset between the elastic andinelastic parts of the force-elongation curve to be removed.

    0

    10

    20

    30

    40

    50

    60

    70

    80

    0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.20

    Elongation (in)

    BoltForce(kip

    )

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    3.10.2.3 Results

    The complete results of the individual bolt testing are presented along with

    the bolt certifications in Appendix C. A discussion of the results and selected data

    are presented in this section.

    Fifty-five bolts were tested to failure under direct tension as described ear-

    lier. Several different quantities were examined. These include elastic stiffness,

    elastic limit, ultimate strength, and ductility.

    3.10.2.3.1 Elastic Stiffness: The elastic stiffness prediction shown in Equa-

    tion 3-22 includes a factor for the contribution of the bolt head and nut to the bolts

    overall stiffness. If the elastic stiffness of the bolt, Kb is known, the correlation fac-

    tor, f, can be determined explicitly as shown in Equation 3-23 (Barron et al.,

    1998b).

    EQ 3-23

    The average value of f found from the tension tests is 0.73 with a standard

    deviation of 0.54. Several of the tests exhibited stiffnesses that were substantially

    lower than expected. Values of f obtained from these tests are as large as 2.86.

    The reason for the lack of stiffness in these tests is unknown. These tests are

    undoubtedly the source of the large standard deviation in the factor, f. When the

    results of seven tests which yielded values for f above 1.00 are discarded, the

    f

    E

    Kb

    LsAb

    LtgAbe

    db1

    Ab

    1

    Abe

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    average of the remaining tests was found to be 0.55 with a standard deviation of

    0.16.

    3.10.2.3.2 Elastic Limit: When considering the nonlinear behavior of bolts or

    bolted connections, it is necessary to know when the elastic limit has been

    reached. Manufacturer certifications and standard codes do specify an elastic

    limit. They simply report or specify a minimum ultimate strength which leads to an

    elastic-perfectly plastic material model. Depending on the level of accuracy

    required, this may or may not suffice. By dividing the measured elastic limit by the

    bolts ultimate strength, a ratio can be defined and used to predict the onset of

    inelastic behavior.

    For the purposes of this dissertation, the elastic limit is defined as the load at

    the last data point lying with a strain less than a 0.5% offset. The average ratio

    obtained from the tension tests was 0.83 with a standard deviation of 0.04. For

    the sake of simplicity, a ratio of 0.85 is recommended.1

    3.10.2.3.3 Ultimate Strength: Ultimate strength is the single most important

    characteristic of a bolt. A goal of the tension testing was to verify the manufac-

    turers certified values of ultimate strength. The ultimate strength is defined as the

    largest load achieved during a tension test, divided by the effective area of the

    bolt. Two variations of the tests performed as part of this research from the ASTM

    standard are noted. First, ASTM F606 section 3.4.1 states that 4 threads shall be

    exposed between the fixture and thread runout portion of the bolt. The number

    threads included in the bolts grip was a variable in our test series. Therefore, this

    requirement was waived. Second, the manufacturers certification for the bolts

    1. The Eurocode (1993) recommends ratios of 0.80 for grade 8.8 bolts and 0.90 for grade10.9 bolts for Fy / Fu.

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    used in the test series indicate that a wedge tension test was used to determine

    the ultimate strength. ASTM F606 section 3.5.1 states that in a wedge tension

    test, a wedge shall be used under the head of the bolt. No such wedge was

    used in the tests. ASTM F606 section 3.4.1 permits the used of a suitable fixture

    for tensile testing.

    On average, the ultimate strength determined from the tension tests was 8%

    higher than that reported on the manufacturers certification with a standard devi-

    ation of 4%. An examination of the manufacturers certifications for the bolts

    showed that the average ultimate strength of the A325 bolts was 140.0 ksi with a

    standard deviation of 3.4 ksi and the average ultimate strength of the A490 bolts

    was 162.7 ksi with a standard deviation of 2.7 ksi. These values represent an

    average strength that is 16.7% higher than that specified for the A325 bolts and

    8.5% higher for that specified the A490 bolts.

    3.10.2.3.4 Elongation: The elongation at failure of a bolt is a direct indicator

    of the bolts ductility. Of the fifty-five bolts tested under direct tension, thirteen

    A325 and twenty-four A490 bolts actually fractured. The other tests were stopped

    because the stroke of the Skidmore-Wilhelm tester was exhausted. The percent

    elongation of the fractured bolts was calculated as shown in Equation 3-24.

    EQ 3-24

    10

    Lg

    Lg

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    where:

    Lg = the grip length of the bolt

    = the elongation at fracture measured by the acquisition system

    The elongation at failure determined from the tests was 5.2% with a stan-

    dard deviation of 1.6% for the A325 bolts and was 3.6% with a standard deviation

    1.1% for the A490 bolts.

    3.10.3 in-situ Tension Testing

    A third type of test was performed on two bolts, bolts #9A and 44A. This test

    was designed to obtain a relationship between the applied force and bolt force for

    pretensioned bolts. It is generally accepted that the force present in bolts remains

    relatively constant at the pretension load until the clamping force of the bolts is

    overcome by the external loads. At that point, the force in the bolts increases at a

    rate that is at least proportional to the applied load, depending on the level of pry-

    ing present.

    3.10.3.1 Test Method

    To replicate the in-situ condition, the valve restricting oil flow from the tester

    into the reservoir of the hydraulic pump was opened to allow free flow. The bolt

    was then inserted into the tester, the washers and spacer plates were added and

    the nut was fully tensioned using one of the LeJeune wrenches. By allowing the

    oil to flow freely from the tester into the reservoir of the hydraulic pump, the piston

    of the tester bottomed out as the bolt was fully tensioned. After the bolt was ten-

    sioned, the LVDTs were attached to the ends of the bolt, the acquisition system

    was balanced, the valve on the hydraulic pump was closed and the bolt was

    loaded to failure.

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    3.10.3.2 Data Reduction

    When subjecting bolts to direct tension, there is no way to measure the force

    in the bolt directly; only the force applied to the bolt can be measured. The very

    nature of the in-situ test is to find a relationship between the applied load and the

    bolt force. Therefore, it is recognized that the two are not equal and an indirect

    method of determining the bolt force must be employed.

    Two approximations must be made concerning the actual bolt force in these

    tests. First, because the valve controlling the flow oil between the tester and the

    reservoir of the hydraulic pump was left open while the bolt was tightened, no

    direct measure of the bolts preload was possible. As a result, the average pre-

    load of six other bolts from the same lots were used as the preload of the bolts

    tested. Second, the force-elongation relationship of the bolts tested in the in-situ

    condition were approximated as the multi-linear representation of an identical bolt

    tested under the standard tension test method. The multi-linear force-elongation

    relation of bolt #9 was used for #9A and #44 was used for #44A.

    The data reduction for each bolt consisted of two steps. First, the bolts esti-

    mated preload was used to calculate the initial elongation. Second, the initial

    elongation was added to the actual elongation from the in-situ test. This sum was

    then used to calculate the bolt force based on the approximated multi-linear load-

    elongation relation for each of the data points recorded.

    3.10.3.3 Results

    The relationship between the bolt force and the external applied load for bolt

    #44A is shown in Figure 3-9. The dashed line represents the one-to-one relation-

    ship expected from a bolt with no preload. If the material clamped by a bolt is con-

    sidered rigid, then there should be no increase in the bolt force until the externally

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    72

    applied load reaches and exceeds the bolts preload. If it recognized however,

    that the material clamped by a bolt is elastic, then a small increase in bolt force is

    expected before the externally applied load overcomes the bolts preload1. An

    examination of Figure 3-9 shows that a portion of the line representing the bolt

    force actually lies below the idealized dashed line. It is recognized that this is the-

    oretically impossible and violates equilibrium. The problem is attributed to experi-

    mental error arising from the aforementioned approximations.

    Figure 3-9: Bolt Force and External Load Relationship for Test 44A

    1. A complete treatment of the problem is given by Kulak, Fisher, and Struik (1987).

    0

    10

    20

    30

    40

    50

    60

    70

    80

    90

    100

    0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

    Applied Load (kip)

    Bo

    ltForce

    (kip)

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    3.10.3.4 Instrumented Bolt Tension Testing

    Bolts instrumented with strain gages were used in the component tests.

    Each of these bolts was calibrated in the elastic range to obtain a relationship

    between the strain in the bolt and load present in the bolt. Because they were

    only calibrated in the elastic range, these relationships are not representative of

    the entire force range of the bolts. For this reason, five instrumented bolts were

    tested to failure in the tension test setup shown in Figure 3-7.

    The method used in testing the instrumented bolts was very similar to ten-

    sion test method #2. The piston of the tester was positioned in the fully extended

    position, the bolt was inserted, the spacer plates and washers were added and

    the nut was snugged tight. Next the data acquisition system was balanced and

    the nut was tightened using a spud wrench to a level near the expected preten-

    sion of the bolt while the acquisition system recorded the internal strain and

    applied load. This was the method used to calibrate the instrumented bolts used

    in the component tests. Next, the load was released and the bolt was tensioned

    using one of the LeJeune wrenches. The load was then released again, the pis-

    ton of tester positioned at its fully contracted position, and additional spacer plates

    and washers were added as needed. Finally, the LVDTs were attached to the

    ends of the bolt, the acquisition system was balanced and the bolt was loaded to

    failure while recording the internal strain, applied load, and bolt elongation.

    3.11 Discussion

    Several observations can be made from the examination of the design

    codes and experimental results presented in the chapter.

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    The models employed by the LRFD for bolt strengths result in values that are

    approximately equal to those based on more rigorous models but require less

    computation.

    The conservative resistance factors used by the LRFD and Eurocode com-

    bined with the overstrength of the bolt material properties yield conservative

    design values for the tensile resistance, as Table 3-6 shows.

    Table 3-6: Design vs Actual Tensile Capacities for the 7/8 and 1 Bolts Used

    The model proposed by Barron and Bickford (1998b) provides reasonable esti-

    mates of the axial stiffness of the bolts tested.

    Under tensile loading, A325 bolts demonstrated 44% higher elongation at fail-

    ure than A490 bolts.

    The levels of pretension achieved were somewhat lower than LRFD require-

    ments when an electric wrench was used for tightening and were significantly

    lower than code requirements when a manual wrench was used for tightening.

    The level of pretension achieved is largely dependent on the condition of the

    threads of the bolt and nut.

    Actual Eurocode LRFD

    Bolt Strength Bn Bn / Bactual Bn Bn / Bactual7/8" A325 64.6 kip 38.6 kip 0.60 40.6 kip 0.63

    1" A325 84.8 kip 50.6 kip 0.60 53.0 kip 0.63

    7/8" A490 75.1 kip 48.2 kip 0.64 51.0 kip 0.68

    1" A490 98.6 kip 63.3 kip 0.64 66.6 kip 0.68