Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections

by: Chris Meisl

09/06/2013
Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
Chris Meisl
2
Presentation Outline
The Fatigue Process
Sequence of Fatigue Failure
Behavior of Fatigue Loading
S-N Curves
Factors Affecting Fatigue
Bolted Connections in Tension
Location of Failure
Preloading and Contact Area
Prying Action
Bolted Connections in Shear
Preloading
Stress Concentration and Failure
Locations
Anchor Bolts
Design Codes

09/06/2013
Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
Chris Meisl
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What is Fatigue?
Caused by the repeated application
of loads that are not large enough to
cause failure in a single application.
Generally caused by repeated
cycles of tensile loading.
Failure occurs suddenly.
Fracture surface of a paper clip
broken by ~6 cycles of repeated
bending (80 X)
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
Chris Meisl
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Stages of Fatigue Failure
Failure will only occur if the
following essential conditions are
present:
Cyclic tensile loads
Stress levels above a threshold
value
Flaw in the material
Stages of fatigue failure:
1. Crack initiation
2. Crack growth
3. Crack propagation
4. Final rupture
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
Chris Meisl
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Behaviour of Fatigue Loading
The fatigue life = the number of
repeated cycles of loading (N) that
a material will undergo before it
fails.
Higher the fatigue stress level, the
fewer number of loading cycles
required to cause failure.
Major factors that effect fatigue
life:
1. Shape of the connection
2. Magnitude of stress variations
3. Mean stress level
4. Choice of material
S-N Curve for varying magnitude
of altering stress
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Bolted Connections in Tension Failure Locations
Crack is initiated at areas of high stress concentrations.
Potential failure sites:
a. Head-shank transition
b. Run-out of thread
c. Thread at nut
Failure is most likely to occur at the first engagement of the threads of
the bolt and nut.
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Bolted Connections in Tension Influences
The magnitude of the load on the
bolt depends on:
1. The magnitude of the external
tension load.
2. The bolt-to-joint stiffness ratio
(K
B
/K
J
).
3. Whether or not the external
tension load exceeds the critical
load required to separate the joint
(depends on initial preloading).
4. Location of the contact area.
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Bolted Connections in Tension Non Preloaded Bolts
Flange connection with non-preloaded bolts
The external tensile force F
t
applied on the connection will be transferred
directly to the bolts, F
b
.
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Bolted Connections in Tension Preloaded Bolts
Flange connection with preloaded bolts
Preload decreases the load variation in the bolt, until the contact forces
F
c
are exceeded.
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Bolted Connections in Tension Contact Area
If the flange thickness is to
thin bending may occur,
leading to contact areas.
Contact area at the centre:
K
J
> K
B
Low variation of load on bolt
until preload is exceeded.
Contact area at edges:
K
J
< K
B
High variation of load on
bolt.
Contact areas located at
edges are more susceptible
to fatigue.
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Bolted Connections in Tension Contact Area
Contact force in centre Contact forces located at flange edges
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Bolted Connections in Shear
Non-Preloading
Load transferred
via bearing of
bolt shank.
Can not be used
in variable load
conditions.
Preloaded:
Load transferred
by friction
between plates.

Use HSFG
bolts.
Can be used in
variable load
conditions.
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
Chris Meisl
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Bolted Connections in Shear
Non-Preloading
Stress
concentration at
hole.
Fatigue cracks
near hole, or
shearing of bolt.
Preloaded:
Low stress
concentration
near hole.

Fatigue cracks
at gross section
of plate.
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Anchor Bolts
Behave in the same way as normal
bolts.
Bolt diameter and thread size has
little effect.
Method of forming thread influences
fatigue strength
Rolled threads better than cut due to
residual compressive stress.
Double nut increases fatigue
resistance.
Must consider prying effects.
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Code Requirements CAN/CSA-S16.1-94
Based on detail categories,
number of load cycles, and the
corresponding S-N curve.
Considers fatigue failure to occur
in the connecting material.
Parameters:
= fatigue life constant [Table 4(a)]
n = number of stress range cycles
[Table 4(b)]
N = number of passages of the
moving load
F
srt
= constant amplitude threshold
range
Fsr

nN
|

\
|
|
.
1
3
:=
Fsr
Fsrt
2
>
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Code Requirements AISC LRFD 1999
Based on detail categories, number
of load cycles, and the corresponding
S-N curve.
Considers fatigue failure to occur in
the connecting material and bolt.
Parameters:
F
sr
= design stress range
C
f
= constant [Table A-K3.1]
N = number of stress range fluctuations
F
th
= threshold fatigue stress range
[Table A-K3.1]
A
t
= net tensile area
P = pitch
d
b
= nominal diameter
Shear
Fsr Cf
327
N

\
|
|
.
1
3
:=
Fsr Ft h >
Tension
Category E C
f
= 3.9E8
F
th
= 48MPa
Include prying effects

At
t
4
db 0.9382P ( )
2
:=
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
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Design Tool Formatted Spreadsheet
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Fatigue Failure of Bolted Connections
Chris Meisl
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Design Tool Formatted Spreadsheet
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Conclusions
Fatigue is an important
consideration in applications
involving repeated loading.
Codes offer little guidance for
fatigue of bolted connections.
Avoid fatigue susceptible details.
Firth of Forth Rail Bridge