CHAPTER 1

1. Introduction
Bolted joints are one of the most common elements in construction and machine design. They
consist of fasteners that capture and join other parts, and are secured with the mating of screw.
There are two main types of bolted joint designs: tension joints and shear joints.
In the tension joint, the bolt and clamped components of the joint are designed to transfer the
external tension load through the joint by way of the clamped components through the design of
a proper balance of joint and bolt stiffness. The joint should be designed such that the clamp load
is never overcome by the external tension forces acting to separate the joint (and therefore the
joined parts see no relative motion).
The second type of bolted joint transfers the applied load in shear on the bolt shank and relies on
the shear strength of the bolt. Tension loads on such a joint are only incidental. A preload is still
applied but is not as critical as in the case where loads are transmitted through the joint in
tension. Other such shear joints do not employ a preload on the bolt as they allow rotation of the
joint about the bolt, but use other methods of maintaining bolt/joint integrity. This may
include clevis linkages, joints that can move, and joints that rely on a locking mechanism (like
lock washers, thread adhesives, and lock nuts).
In both the tension and shear joint design cases, some level of tension preload in the bolt and
resulting compression preload in the clamped components is essential to the joint integrity. The
preload target can be achieved by applying a measured torque to the bolt, measuring bolt
extension, heating to expand the bolt then turning the nut down, torquing the bolt to the yield
point, testing ultrasonically or by a certain number of degrees of relative rotation of the threaded
components. Each method has a range of uncertainties associated with it, some of which are very
substantial.

CHAPTER 2
2. Bolted joints
The key feature of bolted joints is that they can be dismantled comparatively easily. However
they are costly in that frequently additional parts are needed (washer, nut) compared to riveted or
welded joints and they require more skill / effort to assemble. For these reasons they should only
be used where there is a strong possibility that the parts will at some stage require to be
separated.

2.1 Types of bolted joint

(a) Classification based on the type of resultant force transferred: The bolted connections are
referred to as concentric connections (force transfer in tension and compression member),
eccentric connections (in reaction transferring brackets) or moment resisting connections (in
beam to column connections in frames). Ideal concentric connections should have only one bolt
passing through all the members meeting at a joint. However, in practice, this is not usually

possible and so it is only ensured that the centroidal axes of the members meet at one point. The
Moment connections are more complex to analyse compared to the above two types and are
shown in below figure. The connection in Fig is also known as bracket connection and the
resistance is only through shear in the bolts.

Fig: concentric connection

(b) Classification based on the type of force experienced by the bolts: The
bolted connections can also be classified based on geometry and loading conditions
into three types namely, shear connections, tension connections and combined
shear and tension connections.

Typical shear connections occur as a lap or a butt joint used in the tension members . While the
lap joint has a tendency to bend so that the forces tend to become collinear, the butt joint requires
cover plates. Since the load acts in the plane of the plates, the load transmission at the joint will
ultimately be through shearing forces in the bolts.
In the case of lap joint or a single cover plate butt joint, there is only one shearing plane, and so
the bolts are said to be in single shear. In the case of double cover butt joint, there are two
shearing planes and so the bolts will be in double shear. It should be noted that the single cover
type butt joint is nothing but lap joints in series and also bends so that the centre of the cover
plate becomes collinear with the forces. In the of single cover plate (lap) joint, the thickness of
the cover plate is chosen to be equal to or greater than the connected plates. while in double
cover plate (butt) joint, the combined thickness of the cover plates should be equal to or greater
than the connected plates.

Fig: shear connections

(c) Classification based on force transfer mechanism by bolts: The bolted connections are
classified as bearing type (bolts bear against the holes to transfer the force) or friction type (force
transfer between the plates due to the clamping force generated by the pretensioning of the
bolts). The force transfer in either case is discussed in more detail later.

Fig : (a) Tension connection (b) Tension plus shear connection

2.2 Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages
1) They can be designed to take tension loads, unlike riveting (by tightening the bolt/nut to develop a
preload, you reduce the effects of fatigue due to cyclic loading, which you can't do with a rivet; plus,
rivets can easily pull through a hole when loaded in tension).
2) Welds require heating a metal, which can change the properties in the heat-affected zone, and can
also create thermal stresses. Bolts avoid this problem. You're also not likely to start a fire (welds) or
breathe toxic fumes (welds and adhesive joints) when you're installing a bolt.
3) Bolted joints aren't particularly sensitive to the condition of the parent material. With welds and
adhesive joints, the parent material needs to be clean, free of oils, etc (and obviously, it has to be
metal to weld).
4) You can put a bolt in a blind hole (one that doesn't go all the way through the material); you can't
use a rivet.
5) Bolts are easy. Welding takes a lot of skill and a lot of time, particularly if you're going to inspect
the weld for flaws after it's completed. But just about everybody has used a wrench.
6) Bolts offer much better joint quality than a screw, mostly because the threads are more tightly
controlled.

Disadvantage
1) They require access to both sides of the joint (although this can be overcome using
studs or special bolts like Hi-Loks). Welding, adhesive joints, and some types of riveting
can be done with access to only one side of the joint.
2) They can become loose over time as the nut backs off (this can be addressed to some
extent by using the proper preload and thread-locking features) or as the material creeps.
Welding and adhesive joints don't have this problem.
3) They require holes, which introduce stress concentrations and more failure modes;
drilling the holes may create cracks which will grow over time to cause failure. Welding
and adhesive joints don't require holes. Also, welds and adhesive joints are continuous, so
they don't concentrate load like a bolt does.
4) Preload can be tough to measure accurately - it depends on the method of tightening,
the friction between the threads of the bolt and the nut, etc.
5) Complexity. A bolted joint adds to a part count - a bolt, a nut, washers, thread
lubricant, thread locking compound. And the bolts, nuts, and washers come in specific
sizes with specific threads, with specific hole sizes and tolerances, for specific
applications - if you need a high quality joint, you've got to keep track of all that and
make sure the right bolt is used in the right place and in the right way.
6) Corrosion between a bolt and the parent material should be considered. This may not
be a problem with welding and adhesive joints if the parent materials being welded are
compatible.
7) Bolted joints require a gasket to seal a joint. A weld (if done properly) will be leakproof.

2.3 Application