Experimental and numerical analyses of the behavior of single shear connections combining pretensioned high strength bolts and fillet welds
Sangwook Park,Aws Idris,Mohamed Soliman,Caleb Bennett,Bruce W. Russell
Abstract
Shear connections that combine bolts and welds offer an effective solution for retrofitting existing structures. While single shear joints are commonly specified in connection design, few studies have investigated their actual behavior and load capacity. This paper investigates the load-slip response and capacity of single shear connections combining pretensioned high-strength bolts and longitudinal fillet welds through experimental and numerical analyses. Experimental tests were conducted under monotonic tensile loading, considering key design variables such as weld length, weld location, and assembly sequence. A finite element model was developed and validated to analyze these variables further. Results show that combining welds and bolts improves slip resistance and load-resisting capacity compared to connections using only bolts or welds. Weld dimensions significantly influence the load-slip behavior. Additionally, the slip capacity of single shear combination connections was observed to be less than half of the capacity of the corresponding double shear combination connections. This can be attributed to the load eccentricity and secondary bending, which delayed the development of the full weld capacity. However, these connections are still expected to provide adequate safety factors if designed using current capacity prediction procedure.
