Connections with Mechanical Fasteners

The basic elements of joints in steel structures are mechanical fasteners like bolts or pins. In steel construction, the most typical mechanical fasteners to connect plates or profiles are bolts, or more precisely: bolt assemblies (sets) including the bolt itself, a nut and one or more washers. The two main categories, dependent on the loading applied to the bolt, are shear connections and tension connections. In bolted connections, independently of the type of loading, the bolt holes must fulfil certain requirements with respect to minimum and maximum spacing between the holes, end distances and edge distances. This chapter discusses the design of the following connections: bolted lap joints, bolted T‐stubs, gusset plates and long joints. In bolted connections, independently of the type of loading, the bolt holes must fulfil certain requirements with respect to minimum and maximum spacing between the holes, end distances and edge distances.