Minimum thickness for bolts in double shear

[Justin0964]

Is there a minimum thickess that steel needs to be in order to use double shear values for checking the bolt strength. I am dealing with 9 gauge to 14 gauge cold formed steel. What about for triple shear?

 

[racookpe1978]

Draw your problem - metal plate(s), bolt holes, and bolt sizes - to scale. I think your answer will be more obvious.

 

[SteelPE]

Well, if bolt bearing on the steel members is a problem then yes (it typically needs to be checked), there should be some minimum thickness required in order to achieve the full capacity of the bolt.

Triple shear.... in what scenario could you possible envision triple shear?

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Triplet woman??

 

[BAretired]

For double shear, bearing stress, edge distance and end distance must be checked for the plate.

Don't think I recall seeing triple shear. Where does it occur?

BA

 

[rb1957]

maybe "triple shear" means applying load on two legs, and reacting it on three (which is really nothing more than double shear),
or possibly applying load on one leg, and reacting it with four (again, pretty much double shear).

 

[racookpe1978]

Ok, I can see easily the double shear problem: also the pull-through problem with a hole too close to the edge of the sheet steel.

But how much credit can you take for the friction (the clamping force) between the sheets of steel being forced together by the bolts? Any at all, or none? Surely, for rivets, credit could be given sicne a rivet won't loosen under time and vibration: but for bolts it seems unclear.