Tensile behavior of the connection between nut-free high-strength bolt and endplate

Abstract

Nut-free high-strength bolt permits easy installation and has been widely used in the connection between the column and the corner fitting in assembled-type light steel modular house. 33 specimens were tested under static tension to study the tensile behavior of the connection between the nut-free high-strength bolt and the endplate. The pivotal parameters considered in this experiment include the diameter of the high-strength bolt, the material property of the high-strength bolt, the length of the high-strength bolt, the material property of the endplate, and the thickness of the endplate. The tensile behavior and failure mode of the connection were evaluated and discussed based on the test results. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model (FEM) was established by the general-purpose finite element software ABAQUS and validated against the test results. The tensile capacity and failure mode are in good agreement with the test results and the FEM can be adopted for the analysis of the tensile behavior of the connection. The key parameters that influence the tensile capacity of the connection were the diameter, material property and length of the bolt. Whereas, the thickness and material property of the endplate have less influence. Furthermore, the simplified computation formulas were derived and a theoretical design model was established. The design model was verified by comparing the theoretical results with the test ones. It indicates that the design model can well predict the tensile behavior of the connection, which will provide useful references for the design of the connection.