Static Loading Tests of New Type of Bolt Assembly Connection Developed for Perspective Temporary Steel Railway Bridges

Abstract

The paper deals with the problems of the actual behaviour, failure mechanism and load-carrying capacity of the special bolt connection developed and intended for the assembly joints of the truss main girders chords of perspective railway steel temporary bridges. Within the framework of this problem solution, several types of structural details of assembly joints have been considered as the conceptual structural design. Based on the preliminary evaluation of advantages or disadvantages of these ones, in principle two basic structural configurations – so-called “tooth” and “splice plate” connections have been selected for the subsequent detailed investigation. This investigation is mainly based on the experimental verification of the actual behaviour, strain and failure mechanism and corresponding strength of the connection, and on its numerical modelling using FEM. This paper is focused only on the static loading tests results of the splice plate connections and their evaluation, which have already been finished. Simultaneously with the static tests, the fatigue loading tests are being realized, too, but they have not been finished so far, as well as the FEM numerical modelling.