Block shear capacity of bolted connections in hot-rolled steel plates

This paper extends the research previously conducted at the University of Wollongong on block shear failure of bolted connections in cold-reduced steel sheets with low ductility to hot-rolled steel plates. It examines the applicability of the basic approach employed for cold-reduced sheet steel bolted connections, which makes use of the so-called active shear planes, to hot-rolled steel plate connections. The active shear planes lie midway between the gross and the net shear planes defined in the steel structures specifications. The paper shows that shear yielding leading to the block shear failure of a bolted connection in a hot-rolled steel gusset plate is typically accompanied by full strain hardening. The paper proposes a design equation that provides more accurate and consistent results compared to the American, Australian, Canadian and European code equations in determining the block shear capacities of bolted connections in hot-rolled steel gusset plates. A resistance factor of 0.85 is recommended in order to achieve a target reliability index of 4.0 or greater.