Experimental study on the cooperative slip/bearing limit state of high-strength bolted frictional girder connection

Abstract

Bolted girder connections resist applied bending moment through the cooperation of flange and web resistances. To utilize the bending plastic capacity of the girder connection at the ultimate limit state, the bearing capacity of the girder connection should be defined by the cooperative resistance and the ductility of bolt hole deformation. In the present study, pure bending test of plate girders bolted connection has been conducted to evaluate quantitatively the resistance and the ductility of the connection. From obtained results, it was found that the overall slip would not occur until the bolt group in the web other than around the neutral axis reaches their slip strength. In addition, overall slip strength formula with a 5% discrepancy from the experimental results has been newly proposed. As for the deformation capacity, it was found that the flange bolt hole deformation was about 10% of the bolt diameter at the design full plastic moment.