ABSTRACT
Not much work has been carried out on bolted RHS (rectangular hollow section) connections. In the scope of a CIDECT research project on bolted RHS connections, tests on such connections under static tensile load have been carried out in Karlsruhe. The load bearing behaviour and the governing parameters are of interest. All test specimens were calculated according to EC 3 and DIN 18800. The specimens failed by bearing of the tube. One of the points to be considered was, whether bolted RHS connections can be treated as usual plate connections. Prestressing of the bolts is not advisable because the tube would become deformed. Former investigations in Karlsruhe on shear loaded connections led to similiar results. Design formulae for these shear loaded hollow section connections are given by Buchholz (1987).
