Comparative analysis of load carrying capacity of shear-loaded bolted joints

Abstract

The function of shear-loaded bolted joints is the prevention of joint members’ slip. This can be achieved in two ways, depending on the construction, i.e. relative dimensions of bolts and holes in connected parts. There are two types of shear-loaded bolted joints, clamped (friction) and fitted bolted joints. In both cases, a connection between joint members is shear-loaded, but the bolts have different stress and strain states. In clamped bolted joints the actual load is tensile stress, while fitted bolts are loaded with shear and contact pressure. In this paper, a comparative analysis of the load capacity (safety factors) of clamped and fitted bolts, under the same geometrical and operational conditions was performed. The analysis showed multiple higher load-carrying capacity of fitted bolts that go up to 60 times(!).