Number of Bolts for a Shear Connection
Mediumboltsconnections
A concentric connection must transfer a factored shear force of 160 kN. Each bolt has a supplied design resistance (φ already included) of 45 kN in its single shear plane, and all bolts share load equally. Bearing, block shear and spacing are adequate. What is the minimum number of bolts?
- A4 bolts
- B3 bolts
- C2 bolts
- D5 bolts
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Answer: A. 4 bolts
Need n(45) ≥ 160, so n ≥ 160/45 = 3.56. Bolts are whole numbers, so round up to 4 (4 × 45 = 180 kN; three give only 135 kN). Wrong: 3 rounds down and is short of 160 kN; 2 assumes double shear (90 kN per bolt, 160/90 = 1.8); 5 applies φ = 0.75 again to a resistance that already includes it (33.75 kN, 160/33.75 = 4.7).
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