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Are
AreYou
You Getting
Getting The Bolts You
You Specified?
Specified?
AA Discussion Paper
Discussion Paper
IS SNN 0049-2205
0049-2205
Print Post Approved
pp 255003/01614
STEEL CONSTRUCTION - EDITORIAL
Editor: Scott Munter, National Manager – Engineering & Construction
Over the past two years high strength structural bolts have once again
resurfaced as a quality concern due to the market pressure to reduce
project costs. This has resulted from the importation of product from
new global sources. Bolts are key structural elements and to accept
untraceable product without quality certification from a recognised
authority is very high risk.
A market perception is that there has been no major failures or life lost
as a result of high strength bolt failures. But there has been failures
both at installation and in-service many of which are never reported but
concealed by the legal system. ASI last reported on failures in August
2001. This litigation process conceals not only the problem but the
important lessons and learning. Safety factors are included in design this problem has occurred, but more importantly examines the technical
to prevent failure but designers have to remember that inbuilt code aspects of high strength structural bolts. This paper enables readers to
and material standard safety factors are for product complying with understand all critical mechanical properties and geometrical aspects
Australian Standards. These safety factors are reduced even further by before concluding with guidelines of the minimum requirements for
nonconforming product. certification. ASI has also included a reference to current media
releases at the conclusion of this paper. Members are encouraged to
ASI has held technical evenings in most states and many government read these additional documents and forward any feedback on bolt
authorities have released hazard alerts, planning circulars and building related issues in the Australian construction market.
notes to provide advice on high strength bolt quality to all facets of the
supply chain, installers and certifiers. It should be stated that there ASI refers readers to the reprinted Advisory Note in this issue on the
are very reputable quality bolt suppliers still available in the Australian design methodology for eccentrically connected cleats which now
market. This comprehensive paper brings together the how and why contains recommendations.
Summary
Bolted connections have the potential to be the weakest link in structural steel framework if the project
does not receive the bolts that are specified in the design documentation. Suppliers must source and certify
compliance of bolts with the design specifications. The specification involves a duty of care by the supplier
and specifier and if this process does not occur the traceability of the system is compromised and the risk
of poor quality product increases as observed in some recent Australian projects. Market pressure to reduce
the cost of steel packages has resulted in global sourcing from regions with varying levels of capability and
lesser experience in the manufacturing of quality assured structural bolt assemblies. Slightly more expensive
product which is a negligible percentage of the overall project cost is cheap insurance to pay for a safe and
serviceable structure. Supply chain quality assurance is critical to minimise this quality risk and ensure
conforming bolt assemblies are supplied, installed and certified. This paper concentrates on high strength
bolt assemblies commencing with a brief outline of the market history of structural bolts in Australia and
details quality problems, marking and properties before concluding with an outline of the documentation
required to ensure compliance.
are specified in the standards. When a washer As the importers began battling each other, in
is used in the assembly the internal and external particular, the value and quality of high tensile
diameters, hardness, thickness and coating of and structural bolts dropped. With the industry
the washer also need to be specified. Similarly, benchmark removed, the need to ensure and certify
the mechanical properties such as the tensile the quality of fasteners was removed, and importers
strength, yield strength and proof strength are began to look for cheaper sources.
Firstly, the 1996 standard specifies an across Bolt Strength Matching Nut
flat (A/F) dimension of 34mm for M20 bolts AS2451 Mild Steel BSW AS2451 28tonf
compared to 32mm specified in the 1983
proof load
standard. When the new standard was released,
neither the bolts nor the spanners made to the AS4291.1 Property Class 4.6 AS4291.2 Class 5
new standard were available. In Australia AS4291.1 Property Class 5.6 AS4291.2 Class 5
34mm spanner does not come with a standard AS4291.1 Property Class 8.8 AS4291.2 Class 8
spanner set and until recently were not available
AS4291.1 Property Class 10.9 AS4291.2
in the market. Currently most countries
including USA still uses 32mm A/F dimension Class 10
on M20 bolts. Hence bolts and spanners made AS4921.1 Property Class 12.9 AS4291.2
to 34mm A/F dimension was a rarity. As a Class 12
result the new standard did not come into SAE J429 Grade 5 UNC/UNF SAE J995 Grade 5
acceptance for M20 bolts. Progressively, UNC/UNF
the products made to 1996 standard became
available. If available, it is better to use the SAE J429 Grade 8 UNC/UNF SAE J995 Grade 8
1996 M20 bolt as it is more robust compared UNC/UNF
to the 1983 product. Unless the product is Black Structural Bolts Black Structural
available in the market it is difficult to enforce AS1252 Nuts AS1252
the new standard. Galvanised Structural Bolts Galvanised
AS1252 Structural Nuts
Secondly, the AS1252-1996 standard reduces
the hardness requirement for hot-dip galvanised AS1252
washers. The 1983 standard specified a
hardness range of 35 - 45HRC for all washers. How do you know you have the correct bolt, nut
In the 1996 standard, while the same hardness and the washer?
range was kept for non hot-dip galvanised Bolts and nuts must contain marking specified in
washers the hardness range for hot-dip the relevant standard. By inspecting the parts for the
galvanised washers has been increased to 26 correct marking you will have some indication if the
– 45HRC. The specified hardness range for product supplied is what you specified.
Property Class 8
‘x’ here
Y
X
• refuse to provide any documentation Any further information may be requested as agreed
• give you a test report but not a compliance with the supplier. Suppliers may charge extra for
or test certicate requested additional information which are not
• give you an inspection certicate typically provided in the compliance certicates.
• give you a test/compliance certicate from The fact that a compliance certicate is issued by
an unaccredited foreign test laboratory a NATA accredited laboratory with a signature
On a secondary level assurance, the building • If adequate measures are not taken as a
inspectors may be required to look at the quality matter of urgency, it is just a matter of time
documentation relevant to the fasteners. In this before a major disaster could occur! Most
case, the inspectors need to be educated to read failures are covered-up on-site and not
and inspect the relevant information. reported!
ASI 2001 website release on imported This bulletin is available for download at:
structural bolt failures http://www.ajaxfast.com.au/downloads/
A failure of imported high strength structural Bulletin%201-05%20Nut%20Compatibility.pdf
bolts was posted on the ASI website in August
2001 following the dramatic failure at some Department of Housing and Works – Government
stage after the erection of a large portal frame in of Western Australia. Building Note Number 38-
Victoria. 2005. Structural Steel Bolts
Issued 1 June 2005 by the Government of Western
Australia was an alert to the industry on concerns
This alert is no longer posted on the ASI
relating to the conformance of structural steel bolts
website due to the age of this document but is being imported into Australia.
still available on request.
Email: scottm@steel.org.au This building note is available for download
at: http://www.dhw.wa.gov.au/200506_BN38_
ACT WorkCover – HA.36. Failure of Structural_Steel_Bolts.pdf
Structural Bolts
Issued 6 September 2004 this hazard alert NSW Government - Department of Planning.
followed and ACT WorkCover investigation Planning Circular. Structural Steel Bolts
into the collapse of a steel structure. This Issued 19 December 2005 this planning circular was
collapse identified a number of safety issues released to provide councils, accreditation bodies,
relating to metric Property Class 8.8 structural relevant government agencies, industry groups and
bolts. industry practitioners with advice regarding the
quality of structural steel bolts.
This hazard alert is available for download at:
http://www.workcover.act.gov.au/pdfs/hazalerts/ This planning circular is available for download at:
http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/planningsystem/pdf/
HA32-BoltFailures.pdf
brans/bs05_002_steelbolts.pdf
AJAX Engineered Fasteners – Technical HOBSON ENGINEERING
Bulletin No. 1-05. Nut Compatibility The HOBSON update being the latest newsletter
Issued 5 May 2005 this report covers the from Hobson Engineering: Vol 21 (purchasers of
importance of the compatibility of nuts for high strength structural bolts) has the lead article
use with high tensile bolts and provides a case in this issue from the desk of Peter Hobson titled:
study demonstrating this issue. Both distributors ‘AS1252 Structural Assemblies’. It covers the market
and end-users need to be aware of the need issues through to a suggested solution.
to use the correct nut with heat-treated bolts.
This bulletin has been produced in response to This newsletter is available for download at:
complaints about some industry practices. http://www.hobson.com.au/files/hobupd_vol21.pdf
In Steel Construction Vol. 38 No. 1, March an important difference between this situation and
2004, the Australian Steel Institute published a that with hollow section bracing connections. In
warning about eccentric hollow section bracing these connections there are two flexible components
connections. At this time the ASI website also bolted together – “eccentrically connected cleats”.
contained the warning. The warning stated that The problem is that the eccentricity moment is
the method for calculating the compression shared between the two flexible plates and plastic
capacity of overlapped gusset plates or hinges develop at a very low load unless there
“eccentrically connected cleats” may be is lateral restraint. The cleat assembly deflects
unconservative. The method is found in Design sideways during loading. Eccentrically connected
of Structural Steel Hollow Section Connections, cleats should not be designed as a concentric column
the hollow section design manual published even when a large effective length factor is used. It
in 1996 by the Australian Institute of Steel is necessary to apply the existing design code rules
Construction, now the Australian Steel Institute. for combined bending and compression (AS 4100
The problem arises because of the assumption Section 8 – Members Subject to Combined Actions).
that “the connection may be treated as two Software is available to perform the necessary code
eccentrically connected cleat components whose checks.
ends are fixed and prevented from sway”.
(See Note 1.) Recommendations
The connection types to which this advisory • Do not use an eccentric hollow section bracing
applies are the slotted tube, welded tee end, and connection for a short compression member
flattened end connections. Unless restrained unless it is stiffened against sidesway. A
against sidesway, each of these connections concentric connection should be used if there is
deflects laterally as it is loaded in compression, no sidesway stiffening.
developing a plastic hinge in each plate at a • Design eccentric hollow section bracing
fraction of the section compression capacity. connections taking eccentricity into account by
The real capacity of the connection is very rigorous application of design code rules for
much less than would be computed assuming combined bending and compression – do not use
the presence of lateral restraint or the absence the method in Design of Structural Steel Hollow
of eccentricity. The problem is exacerbated for Section Connections.
connections in short compression members
and for compression members that are not
exclusively wind bracing.