This study focused on the ultimate behaviors(ultimate strength and fracture mode ) of single shear bolted connection with austenitic sainless steel(STS201) and curling effect on the ultimate strength using finite element analysis based on test results. Main variables are end distance in the parallel direction to loading and edge distance in the perpendicular direction to loading. The validation of finite element analysis procedures was verified through the comparisons of ultimate strength, fracture mode and curling(out-of-plane deformation) occurrence between test results and numerical predictions. Curling was observed in both test and analysis results and it reduced the ultimate strength of single- shear bolted connections with relatively long end distances. Strength reduction ratios caused by curling were estimated quantitatively by maximum 19%, 32%, respectively for specimens with edge distance, 48 mm and 60 mm compared with strengths of uncurled connections with restrained out-of-plane deformation. Finally, analysis strengths were compared with current design strengths and it is found that design block shear equations did not provide the accurate predictions for bolted connections with strength reduction by curling.

This study focused on the ultimate strength and curling effect on the strength of single shear bolted connection with austenitic sainless steel (STS201) using finite element analysis. The validation of finite element analysis was verified through the comparisons of ultimate strength and fracture mode between existing test results and numerical predictions. Curling (out-of-plane deformation) was observed in both test and analysis and it reduced the ultimate strength of single shear bolted connections with relatively long end distances. Strength reduction ratio caused by curling was estimated quantitatively by maximum 19%, 32%, respectively for specimens with edge distance, 48mm and 60mm compared with strengths of uncurled connections with restrained out-of-plane deformation.

This paper is to investigate the stress-strain curves for STS 201 austenitic stainless steel over the full strain range. Ramberg-Osgood expression can be used to predict the stress-strain curve up to the 0.2% proof stress. Rasmussen and Shin have developed the approach for stress-strain curve of stainless steels beyond 0.2% proof stress based on the Ramberg-Osgood concept. However, for STS201 stainless steel, two existing concepts were not available for predicting the curves and therefore modified method was discussed in this paper.