Net-tension strength of double lap joints taking into account the material cohesive law

Bolted/pinned joints are common elements in many engineering structures and their failure can lead to catastrophic failure of these structures. Therefore, their strength prediction is essential for an accurate design of the joints and, consequently, for the reliable design of the structure. The main objective of this paper is to introduce an analytical model to predict the net-tension strength of mechanically fastened joints in isotropic quasi-brittle structures. The model is formulated based on the cohesive zone model. The effect of the material cohesive law, the contact stress distribution due to presence of the bolt, the specimen size and the hole radius to specimen width ratio on the strength of the joint are considered in the present model. The obtained predictions are compared with the available experimental results with good agreement. The present model is capable of introducing simple design charts for the bolted joints in structures made of isotropic quasi-brittle materials.