Numerical model‐based design of bolted shear connections – bearing resistance

Abstract

Numerical model‐based design of steel bolted connections is an emerging application field in the design of steel structures. The new EN 1993‐1‐14 provides background for the standardized application of the direct resistance check for bolted connections, which should be designed based on plastic design theory. However, there is a lack of detailed investigation and accurate design rules on the model input parameters regarding to steel material model and the allowed maximum plastic strains to be used during the non‐linear design calculation. On the other side, the bearing resistance check has been significantly modified in the second generation EN 1993‐1‐8. The resistance is increased according to the latest design method, which increase should be also reproducible by the numerical model results. Therefore, the current investigation presented in this paper aims to propose accurate material model and design limit state criteria in terms of the maximum allowable plastic strain for the bearing resistance check of bolted connections.