Corrosion-Induced Mechanical Degradation of High-Strength Bolted Steel Connection

Abstract

Effect of corrosion on the mechanical degradation of high-strength bolted steel connection is experimentally investigated in this study. Eleven high-strength bolt joints were fabricated and nine of them were subjected to accelerated corrosion tests to different levels of mass loss. After corrosion, tensile tests were conducted on these bolted connections, and a procedure was proposed to determine the slip coefficient and the clamping force of corroded specimens. Finite-element (FE) analysis was also conducted. Tensile test results demonstrated a five-stage load–displacement curve, and all the specimens fractured at the tensile plate across the bolt hole. Corrosion reduces the clamping force, slip coefficient, initial slip load (or friction shear strength), full slip load, yield load, ultimate load, and ductility, all of which are closely related to the corrosion loss of the entire specimen. FE analysis showed comparable characteristic loads with these from tensile tests.