Fatigue Resistance of Corrugated Steel Sheets Bolted Lap Joints under Flexture

Corrugated steel sheets are used extensively in construction. They are often bolted together in lap joints for quick and easy assemblage. These structures are built to form different shapes, such as underground curved conduits of medium and short-span bridges. Due to stress concentration around the bolt holes and reversal of loading, the bolted lap joints in such structures become susceptible to considerable reduction in the fatigue resistance of the metal. Such reduction in the fatigue resistance has not been accounted for in current codes of practice. In this technical note, the effects of bolt arrangement, steel sheet thickness and initial bolt misalignments on the fatigue resistance of bolted joints are investigated. As a result of the study, design expressions are recommended for the design of bolted lap joints under cyclic loading.