Development and validation of a Blind Bolt connection to SHS

 

Bolted connections to Structural Hollow Sections

  
Investigators: Walid Tizani and David Nethercot Researcher: Tobias Barnett (Research Student)
Sponsors: DETR, Lindapter International and British Steel Tubes and Pipes plc (now Corus Tubes) Value: £126,000
Industrial Support: British Steel (now Corus) and Lindapter International Additional Support: The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
Start Date: October 1997 Completion Date: September 2000
Project status: Completed
Superior performance of prototype

Figure 1: Superior performance of prototype

Tee stub tests

Figure 2: Tee stub tests

 Introduction:
  • Hollow structural sections are used as columns due to weight, cost effectiveness, and structural performance.
  • It is possible to connect beams to columns using blind bolts, i.e. bolts which may be installed from one side of the connection.

Tee stub tests:

  • Tests performed using back to back tees to determine the performance of the tension region of a moment connection between open sections. This constitutes a design check using the 'component method'.
  • Tests have been performed using two types of blind bolt, the Lindapter Hollobolt and a new prototype.
  • Results indicate that the prototype provides greater strength and stiffness when compared with the Hollobolt (see Figure 1). Hollobolt results indicate that use is restricted to simple connections, prototype may possibly be used in moment connections.

Modified tests:

  • Tests are planned to insert a hollow section between the tees to determine the influence of the tubes face flexibility on the connection performance.
  • Theoretical analysis indicates that the flexibility of the hollow section face will be critical in limiting the connection capacity.

Concluding remarks:

  • From the results to date, a bolt which may allow for a moment connection has been developed. It remains to be determined whether the flexibility of the face will limit the moment capacity.

Publications:

BARNETT, T. C., TIZANI, W. & NETHERCOT, D. A. (2000a) Blind bolted Moment Resisting Connections to Structural Hollow Sections. Proceedings of the “Connections in Steel Structures IV: Steel Connections in the New Millennium. Roanoke, Virginia, USA.

BARNETT, T. C., TIZANI, W. & NETHERCOT, D. A. (2000b) Development of a Blind Bolting System. Proceedings of the International Conference on Steel Structures of the 2000's. Istanbul, Turkey.

BARNETT, T. C., TIZANI, W. & NETHERCOT, D. A. (2001) The Practice of Blind Bolting Connections to Structure Hollow Sections - A Review. Steel and Composite Structures, 1, 1-16.
 

Contact Details:

Walid Tizani
School of Civil Engineering, The University of Nottingham / Walid.Tizani@nottingham.ac.uk
David Nethercot
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College / D.Nethercot@ic.ac.uk