The finite element analysis of the ultimate behavior of thin-walled carbon steel bolted connections

Finite element analysis (FEA) procedures were recommended for predicting the structural behaviors of single shear bolted connections in thin-walled stainless steel and carbon steel based on a previous numerical study with Kuwamura’s test results. The ultimate behaviors such as ultimate strength, fracture mode and curling occurrence predicted by FEA were in good agreement with those of test results. Especially, the effect of curling on the mechanical behavior of a stainless steel bolted connection has been focused. In this paper, an additional experiment for estimating in detail the block shear fracture mechanism and curling influence on thin-walled carbon steel bolted connections has been conducted. Finite element analysis was performed for test specimens. Bolted connections with a short end distance showed the typical block shear fracture. In contrast, connections with a relatively long end distance led to the ultimate state accompanied by out-of-plane deformation; curling. The ultimate strength reduction gets larger with the increase of end distance and the reduction ratio ranged from 4% to 17%. Moreover, this paper describes the comparison of strain distribution between specimens with curling and specimens without curling.

Research highlights
► We performed experiment and finite element analysis (FEA) for thin-walled carbon steel bolted joints with four bolts.
► All specimens failed by block shear fracture and some specimens with a long end distance accompanied by curling.
► Ultimate strength and curling occurrence by FEA results agreed well with those of test results.
► Conditions of curling occurrence for end distance were suggested and strength reduction ratio was estimated through parametric FEA studies.