Effect of geometric parameters on the stress distribution in Al 2024-T3 single-lap bolted joints

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of geometric variables on the stress and strain distributions, as well as non‐linear deformation behaviour of aluminium alloy 2024‐T3 single‐lap bolted joints loaded in tension.

Design/methodology/approach
– The study has been conducted by using numerical and experimental approaches. In the numerical part, 3D FE models were generated using ANSYS software for different e/d and W/d ratios in which e and W are variables but the hole diameter (d) is constant. Stress and displacement results for each case have been discussed to better explain the mode of failure. In the experimental part, e/d=3 and W/d=6 ratios were selected as constant and testing specimens were produced accordingly. The aim was to obtain baseline experimental load‐strain and load‐displacement values for selected specimen geometry coordinated with the numerical analyses.

Findings
– The good agreement between the experimental and numerical analysis provided confidence in the numerical methodology used to evaluate the different geometric variables. The results showed that the single‐lap bolted plates with optimised W/d and e/d ratios could shift the failure mode from net‐tension and shear‐out to bearing failure by directing the maximum damaging stresses from the stress concentration region and shear‐out planes towards the bearing region, leading to higher failure loads.

Originality/value
– The paper develops a FE model of single‐lap bolted joints with a non‐linear material model and investigates 3D stress analysis as well as non‐linear deformation behaviour of bolted plates; optimisation of plates' width (W) and edge distance (e) to control failure modes; and bigger W/d and e/d ratios shift net‐tension and shear‐out to bearing failure mode.