Tensile Behaviour of Galvanised Grade 8.8 Bolt Assemblies in Fire

In structural fire engineering, the importance of bolt assemblies is often overlooked. Connection design uses the temperature-dependent bolt strength-reduction factors prescribed in Eurocode 3, despite the existence of two distinct failure modes under tension; necking of the bolt shank, and thread-stripping. While literature exists to predict failure modes at ambient temperature, there is no method for failure mode prediction for elevated temperatures where ductility is critical to avoid collapse. Galvanised M20 structural bolt assemblies and bolt material from a single batch have been tested under tension at a range of temperatures and strain-rates typical of those experienced in fire. Turned-down bolt test data produced stress-strain curves characteristic of different microstructures at ambient temperature, despite a tempered-martensitic microstructure being specified in the standards. The failure modes of bolt assemblies were found to be dependent on the as-received microstructure at ambient temperature. At elevated temperatures, however, only thread-stripping was observed.