ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that the behavior of most joints is nonlinear, and that such things as tension in the bolt can be a function of the point of application of external load to the joint. In the simple analysis of the behavior of bolted joints under tension loads, it is always assumed that the resultant external load is applied at some point along the axis of the bolt. Empirical formulas have been derived to estimate the magnitude of bolt forces produced in special cases of prying, and finite-element analysis has been proposed for more general cases. Joint failure because of prying action was first noticed in structural steel joints, leading engineers to increase the stiffness of structural steel members to the point that prying was "eliminated." The modulus of elasticity of bolting materials decreases as the temperature of the material rises.
