A consistent design concept for bolted connections in standardized GFRP-profiles

Abstract

This paper presents a consistent design concept for bolted connections of standardized GFRP-profiles. All test specimens have been taken either from pultruded flat-profiles or the webs of standard pultrusion I or Uprofiles from Fiberline Composites A/S. At first the orthotropic material properties of the laminates were determined by experimental tests, including short term and long term properties as well as influence of temperature and media. Experimental results have been confirmed by numerical simulations; taking the complex limit state conditions into account introducing the fracture criteria of Puck. Afterwards relevant functions to determine resistances have been developed for different limit state conditions. To obtain characteristic values, these functions have been calibrated according to the reliability requirements of EN 1990. Using simplified engineering models for the practical design of bolted connections therefore a complete and consistent design concept is provided. © Tsinghua University Press, Beijing and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.