Design Equations for Tensile Rupture Resistance of Bolted Connections in Cold-Formed Steel Members

This paper summarises and re-examines the authors’ previous research results concerning the tensile rupture resistance of cold-formed steel bolted connections in a flat sheet, in a channel’s web, and in one leg of an angle section. Staggered bolted connections are also included. The fundamental shortcomings of the design equations given in the 2012 North American Specification for the Design of Cold-formed Steel Structural Members are described, and the alternative design equations proposed by the authors are shown. The alternative equations are checked against laboratory test results obtained by the authors and other researchers where the bolts had not been snug-tightened and the failure modes were correctly identified. The reliability analyses previously carried out by the authors are repeated using additional test data and the statistical data provided in the current North American specification. A uniform resistance factor of 0.70 is recommended for all the proposed equations for determining the tensile rupture resistance of bolted connections in cold-formed steel members