Bolt/Rivet Connections

Engr. Rolando A. Bitagun Jr.

• A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical
shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the tail. On installation, the rivet is
placed in a punched or drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked (i.e., deformed), the head is supported
against the direction of the tail when upsetting so it will stay on place, the tail expands to about 1.5 times the
original shaft diameter, holding the rivet in place.
• A bolt is a form of threaded fastener with an external male thread requiring a matching pre-formed female
thread such as a nut. Bolts are designed to pass through an unthreaded hole in a component and be
fastened with the aid of a nut, although such a fastener can be used without a nut to tighten into a threaded
component such as a nut-plate or tapped housing
 Types of Bolts

Unfinished Bolts/ Ordinary Bolts/ Common Bolts – Classified by the ASTM as A307 bolts and
are made of carbon steels with stress-strain characteristics very similar to those of A36 steel. A307
bolts generally have square heads and nuts to reduce costs but hexagonal heads are sometimes
used because they have a slightly more attractive appearance, are easier to turn and to hold with
wrenches and require less turning space.

High-strength Bolts – Are made from medium carbon hear-treated steel and from alloy steel and
have tensile strengths two or more times those of ordinary bolts. There are two basic types, the
A325 bolts (Made from a heat-treated medium carbon steel) and the higher strength A490 bolts
(also heat-treated, but made from alloy steel). High-strength bolts are used for all types of structures
from small buildings to skyscrapers and monumental bridges. These bolts were developed to
overcome the weaknesses of rivets – primarily, insufficient tension in their shanks after cooling.
 Snug-tight, Pretensioned and Slip-critical Bolts

High-strength bolted joints are said to be snug-tight, pretensioned or slip-critical.

Snug-tight Bolts – for most connections, bolts are tightened only to what is called a snug-tight
condition. Snug-tight is the situation existing when all the plies of a connection are in firm contact
with each other. It usually means that tightness produced by the full effort of a person using a spud
wrench. Obviously there is some variation in the degree of tightness achieved under these
conditions. Snug-tight bolts must be clearly identified on both design and erection drawings.

Snug-tight bolts are permitted for all situations in which pretensioned or slip-critical bolts are not
required. In this type of connection, the plies of steel being connected must be brought together so
that they are solidly seated against each other, but they do not have to be in continuous contact. The
installed bolts do not have to be inspected to determine their actual pretensioned stresses.
 Snug-tight, Pretensioned and Slip-critical Bolts

Pretensioned Joints – The bolts in a pretensioned joint are brought to a very high tensile stress
equal to approximately 70% of their minimum tensile stresses. To properly tighten them, it is
necessary to first bring them to a snug-tight condition. Then they are further tightened by different
methods.

Pretensioned joints are required for connections subjected to appreciable load reversals where
nearly full or full design loads are applied to them in one direction, after which the nearly full or full
design loads are applied in the other direction. Such condition is typical of seismic loadings, but not
of wind loads. Pretensioned bolts are also required for joints subject to fatigue loads where there is
no reversal of the load direction. In addition, they are used where the bolts are subjected to tensile
fatigue stresses. A490 bolts should be pretensioned if they are subjected to tension or if they are
subjected to combined shear and tension, whether or not there is fatigue. Pretensioned bolts are
permitted when slip resistance is of no concern.
 Snug-tight, Pretensioned and Slip-critical Bolts

Slip-critical Joints – The installation of slip-critical bolts is identical with that of pretensioned joints.
The only difference between the two is in the treatment of the contact or faying surfaces. Their
inspection is the same, except that the inspector needs to check the faying or contact surface for
slip-critical joints.

Slip-critical joints are required only for situations involving shear or combined shear and tension.
They are not required for situations involving only tension. In addition, they are to be used for joints
with oversized holes and for joints with slotted holes where load is applied approximately normal to
the long direction of the slot.
 Sizes of Bolt Holes

Standard Holes (STD) – Standard hole sizes for bolts are made 1/16-in (≈ 2mm) larger in diameter
than the nominal size of the fastener body. This provides a certain amount of play in the holes,
which compensates for small misalignment’s in hole location or assembly, and aids in the shop and
field entry of fasteners. In the absence of approval by the engineer for use of other hole types,
standard holes shall be used in high strength bolted connections.

Oversized Holes (OVS) – may be used in all plies of connections as long as the applied load does
not exceed the permissible slip resistance. They may not be used in bearing-type connections. It is
necessary for hardened washers to be used over oversized holes that are located in outer plies. The
use of oversized holes permits the use of larger construction tolerances.
 Sizes of Bolt Holes

Short-slotted holes (SSL) – may be used regardless of the direction of the applied load for slip-
critical connections. For bearing type connections, however, the slots must be perpendicular to the
direction of loading. Should the load be applied in a direction approximately normal to the slot, these
holes may be used in any or all plies of connections for bearing type connections. It is necessary to
use washers over short-slotted in an outer ply. The use of short-slotted holes provides for some mill
and fabrication tolerances, but does not result in the necessity for slip-critical procedures.

Long-slotted holes (LSL) – may be used in only one of the connected parts of slip-critical or
bearing type connections at any one faying surface. For slip-critical joints, these holes may be used
in any direction, but for bearing type connections, the loads must be normal to the axes of the
slotted holes. If long-slotted holes are used in an outer ply they will need to be covered with plate
washers or a continuous bar with standard holes. Long-slotted holes are usually used when
connections are being made to existing structures where the exact position of the members being
connected are not known.
Washer

Washers are used to prevent scoring or galling of members

when bolts are tightened. Most people think that they also
serve the purpose of spreading out the clamping forces more
uniformly to the connected members. Tests have shown
however that standard size washers don’t affect the pressure
very much, except when oversized or short-slotted holes are
used.
Nominal Hole Dimensions (NSCP 2015)
Strength Table (NSCP 2015)
Simple Connection (Concentric Connection)

The force acting on the member is passing through the centroid of the bolt group, each bolt can be
assumed to be carrying the same amount of load.
Bearing Type Connection:

CONSIDER
SNUG-TIGHT
CONDITION

Slip Critical Connection:

SLIP RESISTANT
CONNECTION
𝑓 > ∅𝑃𝑛
𝑃𝑛
𝑓>
𝛺
Bolt Connection
in Lap Joint
Bolt Connection in Butt Joint
Failures of Bolted Connection
Shear Strength of Bolts and Threaded Parts

The design shear strength ∅𝑅𝑛 and the allowable shear strength 𝑅𝑛ൗΩ of a snug-tightened or
pretensioned high-strength bolt or threaded part shall be determined according to the limit states
of tensile rupture and shear rupture as follows:

𝑅𝑛 = 𝐹𝑛𝑣 𝐴𝑏
∅ = 0.75 𝐿𝑅𝐹𝐷 𝛺 = 2.0 (𝐴𝑆𝐷)
where:
Fnv = nominal shear stress
Ab = nominal unthreaded or threaded body area of bolt
Bearing Strength at Bolt Hole

The available bearing strength ∅𝑅𝑛 and 𝑅𝑛ൗΩ at bolt holes shall be determined for the limit state of
bearing as follows:
∅ = 0.75 𝐿𝑅𝐹𝐷 𝛺 = 2.0 (𝐴𝑆𝐷)

1. For a bolt in a connection with standard, oversized and short-slotted holes, independent of the
direction of loading, or a long-slotted hole with slot parallel to the direction of the bearing force:
a. when deformation at the bolt hole at service load is a design consideration
𝑅𝑛 = 1.2𝐿𝑐 𝑡𝐹𝑢 ≤ 2.4𝑑𝑡𝐹𝑢
b. when deformation at the bolt hole at service load is not a design consideration
𝑅𝑛 = 1.5𝐿𝑐 𝑡𝐹𝑢 ≤ 3.0𝑑𝑡𝐹𝑢
2. For a bolt in a connection with long-slotted holes with the slot perpendicular to the direction of
force
𝑅𝑛 = 1.0𝐿𝑐 𝑡𝐹𝑢 ≤ 2.0𝑑𝑡𝐹𝑢
Bearing Strength at Bolt Hole

3. For connections made using bolts that pass completely through an unstiffened box member or
HSS, See Section 510.7 and Eq. 510.7-1.

Where:
d = nominal bolt diameter
Fu = specified minimum tensile strength of the connected material
Lc = clear distance, in the direction of the force, between the edge of the hole and the edge of the
adjacent hole or edge of the material, whichever is smaller, mm
t = thickness of the connected material, mm
Strength of Elements in Tension

The design strength ∅𝑅𝑛 and the allowable strength 𝑅𝑛ൗΩ of affected and connecting elements
loaded in tension shall be the lower value obtained according to the limit states of tensile yielding
and tensile rupture.
1. For tensile yielding of connecting elements:

𝑅𝑛 = 𝐹𝑦 𝐴𝑔
∅ = 0.90 𝐿𝑅𝐹𝐷 𝛺 = 1.67 (𝐴𝑆𝐷)

2. For tensile rupture of connecting elements:

𝑅𝑛 = 𝐹𝑢 𝐴𝑒
∅ = 0.75 𝐿𝑅𝐹𝐷 𝛺 = 2.0 (𝐴𝑆𝐷)
Example No. 1

Determine the design strength for the bearing type connection done on 2-A36 Steel Plates 15mm
thick using A325 M20 bolts on standard hole sizes. Consider that the threads are not in line with
the shear plane and assume that deformations at bolt holes are considered in the design.
Example No. 1

Determine the design strength for the bearing type connection done on 2-A36 Steel Plates 15mm
thick using A325 M20 bolts on standard hole sizes. Consider that the threads are not in line with
the shear plane and assume that deformations at bolt holes are considered in the design.

1. Strength of Elements in Tension

𝑑𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑡 = 20𝑚𝑚 Yielding in Gross:
𝑑ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 = 22𝑚𝑚
𝑃𝑛 = 248𝑀𝑃𝑎 150𝑚𝑚 15𝑚𝑚 = 558𝑘𝑁
A36 A325 𝑃𝑢 = 0.9 558𝑘𝑁 = 502.2𝑘𝑁
𝐹𝑦 = 248𝑀𝑃𝑎 𝐹𝑛𝑣 = 457𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝐹𝑢 = 400𝑀𝑃𝑎 Fracture in Net:

𝑃𝑛 = 400𝑀𝑃𝑎 150𝑚𝑚 − (2)22𝑚𝑚 15𝑚𝑚 = 636𝑘𝑁

𝑃𝑢 = 0.75 636𝑘𝑁 = 477𝑘𝑁
Example No. 1

2. Bearing Strength at Bolt Hole

𝑅𝑛 = 1.2𝐿𝑐 𝑡𝐹𝑢 (𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑟 − 𝑜𝑢𝑡) ≤ 2.4𝑑𝑡𝐹𝑢 (ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛)

22𝑚𝑚
𝐿𝑐 = 100𝑚𝑚 − = 89𝑚𝑚
2

𝐿𝑐 = 50𝑚𝑚 − 22𝑚𝑚 = 28𝑚𝑚

𝑅𝑛 = 1.2 28𝑚𝑚 15𝑚𝑚 400𝑀𝑃𝑎 = 201.6𝑘𝑁

≤ 2.4 20𝑚𝑚 15𝑚𝑚 400𝑀𝑃𝑎 = 288𝑘𝑁

𝑅𝑛 = 201.6𝑘𝑁
𝑃𝑛 = 4 201.6𝑘𝑁 = 806.4𝑘𝑁
𝑃𝑢 = 0.75 806.4𝑘𝑁 = 604.8𝑘𝑁
Example No. 1

3. Shear Strength of Bolts Summary

𝑅𝑛 = 𝐹𝑛𝑣 𝐴𝑏
Yielding in Gross: 𝑃𝑢 = 502.2𝑘𝑁
𝜋
𝑅𝑛 = 457𝑀𝑃𝑎 (20𝑚𝑚)² = 143.57𝑘𝑁
4 Fracture in Net: 𝑃𝑢 = 477𝑘𝑁

𝑃𝑛 = 𝑛𝑅𝑛 = 4 143.57𝑘𝑁 = 574.28𝑘𝑁

Bearing Strength on Bolt Hole: 𝑃𝑢 = 604.8𝑘𝑁
𝑃𝑢 = 0.75 574.28𝑘𝑁 = 430.71𝑘𝑁
Shear Strength of Bolt: 𝑷𝒖 = 𝟒𝟑𝟎. 𝟕𝟏𝒌𝑵 (governs)