Strength of connection fixed by TOBs considering out-of-plane tube wall deformation-Part 1: Tests and numerical studies

Tuoya Wulan, Peijun Wang, Chengxin Xia, Xinyu Liu1, Mei Liu, Fangzhou Liu, Ou Zhao and Lulu Zhang

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the behavior of a bolted T-stub to square tube connection using Thread-fixed One side Bolts (TOBs) through tests and numerical simulations. It outlines a research work of four connections with focus on the failure modes and strengths of the connection under tensile load. It was observed that the thread anchor failure caused by shear failure of hole threads controlled the final failure of the connection in the tests. Meanwhile, the out-of-plane deformation of tube wall resulted in the contact separation between hole threads and bolt threads, which in turn reduced the shear strength of hole threads. Finite element models (FEMs) allowing for the configuration details of the TOBs fixed connection are then developed and compared with the test results. Subsequently, the failure mechanism of hole threads and stress distribution of each component are analyzed based on FEM results. It was concluded that the ultimate strength of connection was not only concerned with the shear strength of hole threads, but also was influenced by the plastic out-of-plane deformation of tube wall. These studies lay a foundation for the establishment of suitable design methods of this type of connection.

Key Words

effective shear area; hole wall thread failure; plastic out-of-plane deformation; thread-fixed one-side bolts

Address

Tuoya Wulan:1)Civil Engineering College of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250061, China 2)Transportaion Institute of Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, 010000, China Peijun Wang:Civil Engineering College of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250061, China Chengxin Xia:Civil Engineering College of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250061, China Xinyu Liu:Civil Engineering College of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250061, China Mei Liu:Civil Engineering College of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250061, China Fangzhou Liu:Civil Engineering College of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250061, China Ou Zhao:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Lulu Zhang:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

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