Finite Element Single-Bolt Shear Connection Shear-Out Fracture Failure Analysis

Abstract

The finite element (FE) predictions of single-bolt connections shear-out failure in the literature were conducted with only elastic–plastic material models without any fracture model. This paper presents the FE single-bolt connection shear-out fracture (SBCSOF) prediction and failure analysis using the phenomenological shear fracture model. It is established that FE simulations without any fracture model employed in the literature cannot predict SBCSOF and thus cannot be employed for FE SBCSOF failure analysis. Consequently, it is essential to incorporate fracture model(s) for FE SBCSOF prediction and failure analysis. Analyses of the experimental and predicted SBCSOF shapes reveal that the shear fracture consists of a long main shear fracture which occurs under combined shear and compressive bending deformations, and a short shear lip that is oppositely inclined to the main shear fracture which occurs under combined shear and tensile bending deformations. The work thus presents the appropriate FE SBCSOF failure analysis technique that serves as a useful tool for in-service failure analysis when fractographic analysis is impracticable. The FE SBCSOF failure analysis technique could also serves as a tool for the parametric studies of connection parameters on the fracture behavior of single-bolt shear connections that exhibit the shear-out fracture mode.