Preloaded Bolted Joint Made with a Single Row of Fasteners

The purpose of this technical note is to present a method of analysis of a joint made using a single row of bolts, typical of a bolts around the edge of a closure plat or a simple bracket. Classical analysis methods are applied to the joint subjected to combinations of both in-plane and out-of-plane loads and moments. An analysis of loads and stresses in a single bolt is developed. The note brings together a number of concepts and links them into a practical design analysis process that is applicable for many cases of joints made with a single bolt or a single line of bolts and are adequate to demonstrate the structural integrity of the joint. In some cases finite element methods may be more appropriate, and the methods discussed can be used in the validation process.