PRYING AND SHEAR IN END-PLATE CONNECTION DESIGN

Seven large, extended end-plate connections with eight tension bolts were fabricated and tested to failure at the Fritz Engineering Laboratory. Lehigh University. At least one connection failed by bolt fracture, weld fracture, or plate shear fracture. Experimental results led to concerns for bolt prying forces and end-plate shear forces. Finite element analysis models, using shell elements for the end plate and beam flanges and plane-stress elements for the beam web, were developed for the connections. Elastic and inelastic finite element solutions were obtained by using the ADINA program to provide predictions of the magnitude of shear force in the plate projection and the increases in bolt force due to prying action. The analytically predicted bolt forces were compared with the experimentally measured forces and reasonable agreement was found. Simple design rules, which complement the current design procedures for unstiffened end-plate connections, are presented.