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Design of Glass‐Fibre‐Reinforced Plastic Bolted Connections
Author(s) -
Erki M. A.,
Rosner C. N.,
Dutta A.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
computer‐aided civil and infrastructure engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.773
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1467-8667
pISSN - 1093-9687
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8667.1993.tb00222.x
Subject(s) - fibre reinforced plastic , fastener , flexibility (engineering) , structural engineering , finite element method , connection (principal bundle) , glass fiber , bolted joint , computer science , joint (building) , displacement (psychology) , limit (mathematics) , materials science , engineering , composite material , mathematics , psychology , statistics , psychotherapist , mathematical analysis
Glass‐fibre‐reinforced plastics (GFRP) have characteristics that make them highly attractive for light‐weight military footbridges, which can be easily hand‐assembled, dismantled and effectively transported on foot into remote, inaccessible regions, or in rough mountainous terrain. For this type of structure, the choice of bolted connections represents a practical type of connection for joining the major structural components. This paper discusses some of the main issues in the design of GFRP bolted connections, with three computer analyses to assist the designer. First, material properties of GFRP are reviewed. The designer has the choice of either ordering prefabricated members, with fixed fibre lay‐up configurations, or specifying the lay‐up optimized for a particular application. An example of how to use a program to assist in choosing the best lay‐up of fibres in a GFRP laminate is given. If the connection is designed using a limit states approach, the material resistance factors need to be determined. A computer model to calculate approximate resistance factors is discussed. Finally, a computer model based on the finite element method to predict the short‐term load‐displacement behaviour of GFRP bolted connections is presented. The model combines two planar analyses to account for deformations in the GFRP members and the contribution of the fastener flexibility on the joint performance.