Significance of the deformation capacity of bolts for the performance of bearing-type lap connections

Može, Primož (author), Ogrin, Anita (author), Zoubek, Sara (author)

The study investigates the significance of the deformation capacity of bolts in bolted bearing lap connections, focussing on connections with aligned and misaligned bolt holes. The investigation includes a series of tests on S960 steel lap connections with M12 and M16 bolts of different bolt classes to evaluate the effects of misalignment of bolt holes and the ability of the bolts to redistribute forces. The test results of connections with aligned bolt holes show that the deformation capacity of the bolts was sufficient to equalise the bolt forces. However, the test results of connections with misaligned bolt holes indicate a potential reliability issue in the design of lap bolt connections where the ductility condition is not met, especially for high-strength bolt classes, e.g. 10.9. The connections were characterised by premature failure of the bolt(s) as the deformation capacity of the bolt was used to overcome the misalignment of the bolt holes. These conclusions can be transferred to connections with lower steel grades, such as S235.

• Language: English
• Keywords: bolted connections, bolts, high strength steel, deformation capacity, bearing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.08 - Published Scientific Conference Contribution
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 899-905
• Numbering: Vol. 8, no. 6
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178375
• UDC: 624.014.2.078.4:621.882
• ISSN on article: 2509-7075
• DOI: 10.1002/cepa.70166
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265888515
• Publication date in RUL: 26.01.2026

Record is a part of a proceedings

• Title: SDSS 2025
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265872387

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: ce/papers
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 2509-7075
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8145761

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: vijačeni spoji, vijaki, jekla visoke trdnosti, deformacijska kapaciteta, bočni pritisk