Four circular bolted joints with blank flanges have been tested under static tension forces. Different tension forces and bolt preloads have been applied to the joints and bolt forces, displacements and stresses in the joints have been measured. The influences of bolt preloads and flange dimensions on the behaviour of the joints have been investigated. The results obtained have been compared with the results from finite element analyses and mathematical analyses and good agreement has been found.
RockeyK. C.GriffithsD. W.‘The behaviour of bolted flanged joints in tension’, Conference onJoints in Structures, University of Sheffield, 1970, Paper 3.
2.
British Steel Corporation Tubes Division ‘Bolted tension flange joint research (ring flanges joining CHS)’, Research Report CE 71/46, 1974.
3.
British Steel Corporation Tubes Division ‘Bolted tension flange joint research (blank circular flanges joining CHS)’, Research Report CE 71/46, 1975.
4.
BS 8100: 1988 Lattice Towers and Masts, Part 1. Code of Practice for Loading (British Standards Institution, London).
5.
DD 133: Draft for Development: 1986 Code of Practice for Strength Assessment of Members of Lattice Towers and Masts (British Standards Institution, London).
6.
WakiyamaK.‘Experimental study on the mechanical behaviour of high strength bolted tube flange joints’ (in Japanese), Trans. of Annual Meeting of A.I.J., 1979, 1125–1126.
7.
IgarashiS.InoueK.MatsumotoT.‘Limit design of bolted circular tube flange joint subjected to tension’, Proceedings of the International Conference onSteel and Aluminium Structures in Cardiff, Cardiff, 1987, pp. 825–834.
8.
IgarashiS.‘Limit design of high strength bolted tube flange joint. Part 1. Joint without rib-plates and ring-stiffeners’ (in Japanese), Trans. of A.I.J., 1985, 354, 52–66.
9.
CaoJ. J.Tension circular flange joints in tubular structures, PhD Thesis, Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, UMIST, 1995.
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CaoJ. J.BellA. J.‘Finite element analysis of circular flange joints under tension forces’, Proceedings of Ninth UK ABAQUS User Group Conference, Exeter College, Oxford, 1994.
11.
CaoJ. J.BellA. J.‘Determination of bolt force in a circular flange joint under tension force’. Int. J. Pressure Vessel and Piping, 1995, accepted for publication.
12.
BS 5135: 1984 Specification for Process of Arc Welding of Carbon and Carbon Manganese Steels (British Standards Institution, London).
13.
BS 5950: 1985 Structural Use of Steelwork in Building, Part I, Code of Practice for Design in Simple and Continuous Construction: Hot Rolled Sections (British Standards Institution, London).
