UNFINISHED BOLTS TREATMENT IN STRUCTURES BASIC INFORMATION
What Are Unfinished Bolts?
Known in construction circles by several names—ordinary, common, machine, or rough—unfinished bolts are characterized chiefly by the rough appearance of the shank. They are covered by ASTM A307. They fit into holes 1⁄16 in larger in diameter than the nominal bolt diameter.
Unfinished bolts have relatively low load-carrying capacity. This results from the possibility that threads might lie in shear planes. Thus, it is unnecessary to extend the bolt body by use of washers.
One advantage of unfinished bolts is the ease of making a connection; only a wrench is required. On large jobs, however, erectors find they can tighten bolts more economically with a pneumatic-powered impact wrench. Power tightening generally yields greater uniformity of tension in the bolts and makes for a better balanced connection.
While some old building codes restrict unfinished bolts to minor applications, such as small, secondary (or intermediate) beams in floor panels and in certain parts of one-story, shed-type buildings, the AISC specifications for structural steel buildings, with a basis of many years of experience, permit A307 bolts for main connections on structures of substantial size.
For example, these bolts may be used for beam and girder connections to columns in buildings up to 125 ft in height. There is an economic relation between the strength of a fastener and that of the base material.
So while A307 may be economical for connecting steel with a 36- ksi yield point, this type of bolt may not be economical with 50-ksi yield-point steel. The number of fasteners to develop the latter becomes excessive and perhaps impractical due to size of detail material.
A307 bolts should always be considered for use, even in an otherwise all-welded building, for minimum-type connections, such as for purlins, girts, and struts.
Locking Devices for Bolts. Unfinished bolts (ASTM A307) and interference body-type bolts usually come with American Standard threads and nuts. Properly tightened, connections with these bolts give satisfactory service under static loads.
But when the connections are subjected to vibration or heavy dynamic loads, a locking device is desirable to prevent the nut from loosening. Locking devices may be classified according to the method employed: special threads, special nuts, special washers, and what may be described as field methods.
Instead of conventional threads, bolt may be supplied with a patented self-locking thread called Dardelet. Sometimes, locking features are built into the nuts. Patented devices, the Automatic-Nut, Union-Nut, and Pal-Nut, are among the common ones.
Washers may be split rings or specially touched. Field methods generally used include checking, or distorting, the threads by jamming them with a chisel or locking by tack welding the nuts.
What Are Unfinished Bolts?
Known in construction circles by several names—ordinary, common, machine, or rough—unfinished bolts are characterized chiefly by the rough appearance of the shank. They are covered by ASTM A307. They fit into holes 1⁄16 in larger in diameter than the nominal bolt diameter.
Unfinished bolts have relatively low load-carrying capacity. This results from the possibility that threads might lie in shear planes. Thus, it is unnecessary to extend the bolt body by use of washers.
One advantage of unfinished bolts is the ease of making a connection; only a wrench is required. On large jobs, however, erectors find they can tighten bolts more economically with a pneumatic-powered impact wrench. Power tightening generally yields greater uniformity of tension in the bolts and makes for a better balanced connection.
While some old building codes restrict unfinished bolts to minor applications, such as small, secondary (or intermediate) beams in floor panels and in certain parts of one-story, shed-type buildings, the AISC specifications for structural steel buildings, with a basis of many years of experience, permit A307 bolts for main connections on structures of substantial size.
For example, these bolts may be used for beam and girder connections to columns in buildings up to 125 ft in height. There is an economic relation between the strength of a fastener and that of the base material.
So while A307 may be economical for connecting steel with a 36- ksi yield point, this type of bolt may not be economical with 50-ksi yield-point steel. The number of fasteners to develop the latter becomes excessive and perhaps impractical due to size of detail material.
A307 bolts should always be considered for use, even in an otherwise all-welded building, for minimum-type connections, such as for purlins, girts, and struts.
Locking Devices for Bolts. Unfinished bolts (ASTM A307) and interference body-type bolts usually come with American Standard threads and nuts. Properly tightened, connections with these bolts give satisfactory service under static loads.
But when the connections are subjected to vibration or heavy dynamic loads, a locking device is desirable to prevent the nut from loosening. Locking devices may be classified according to the method employed: special threads, special nuts, special washers, and what may be described as field methods.
Instead of conventional threads, bolt may be supplied with a patented self-locking thread called Dardelet. Sometimes, locking features are built into the nuts. Patented devices, the Automatic-Nut, Union-Nut, and Pal-Nut, are among the common ones.
Washers may be split rings or specially touched. Field methods generally used include checking, or distorting, the threads by jamming them with a chisel or locking by tack welding the nuts.
