Use of Braced Strut Behaviour to Assess BS 5400 Provisions for Beam Restraint

This paper considers the adoption of standard length, fully threaded fasteners as ordinary (bearing) bolts for general building construction. The potential advantages of such a rationalised choice of bolt are demonstrated, and its behaviour in tension, shear and bearing is considered. It is concluded that such bolts may safely be adopted for beam/column and beam/beam connections and general latticed and framed steelwork, including compression splices with their ends prepared for bearing. It is recommended that further consideration should be given to the additional joint flexibility, as the threads dig into the connected plies, for tension splices and compression splices with the bolts in bearing. G.W. Owens

1. Introduction Further revisions to the Building Regulations came into force on 1 June 1992. They and the amended Approved Documents are now available. S.B. Tietz