Comparative study on mechanical performance of bolted joints with steel and fibre reinforced polymer bolts

This paper presents a comparative study on single-bolted double-lap joints with steel bolts and glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bolt. Three types of including plain, galvanised stainless newly developed GFRP bolt were considered. Two preload levels practiced in the experiments, i.e. snug-tight full-tensioning. The torque-preload relationships for different investigated reference to international standards. It was found that showed highest efficiency torque conversion into preload, while lowest. Static experiments finite element (FE) analysis then conducted mechanical performance bolted shear comparatively studied terms failure modes, load-displacement load-strain responses. Similar joint stiffness or capacity under condition. High level can significantly increase by up 89.2% only 9.8% joints. FE modelling considering contact behaviours pretension well predict behaviour initial slip.