Remaining performance of frictional high strength bolted joints in an existing weathering steel bridge used for thirty years

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental study was carried out to investigate the remaining performance of frictional high strength bolted joints in an existing weathering steel bridge used for thirty years. Bolt axial forces, slip coefficients and slip strengths were measured for the real bolted joint specimens cut from the bridge to carry out a slip test and a bolt calibration test. The results of these tests showed that remaining bolt axial forces of many bolts were less than the design bolt axial force but the slip coefficients were more than the design value. Therefore the tests found the slip strength of all joints remained the design strength.