Rivets
Steel shapes can be joined into a
building frame with any of three fastening
techniquesÑrivets, bolts, or
weldsÑand by combinations of these.
A rivet is a steel fastener consisting
of a cylindrical body and a formed
head. It is brought to a white heat
in a forge, inserted through holes in
the members to be joined, and hotworked
with a pneumatic hammer to
produce a second head opposite the
Þ rst (Figure 11.15). As the rivet cools,
it shrinks, clamping the joined pieces
together and forming a tight joint.
Riveting was for many decades the predominant fastening
technique
used in steel frame buildings, but it
has been completely replaced in contemporary
construction by the less
labor-intensive techniques of bolting
and welding.
How riveted connections are made. (a) A
hot steel rivet is inserted through holes
in the two members to be joined. (b, c)
Its head is placed in the cup-shaped depression
of a heavy, hand-held hammer.
A pneumatic hammer drives a rivet set
repeatedly against the body of the rivet
to form the second head. (d) The rivet
shrinks as it cools, drawing the members
tightly together.
Bolts
Bolts used in steel frame construction
may be either high-strength bolts
(ASTM A325 and A490), which are
heat treated during manufacturing
to develop their greater strength, or
lower-strength carbon steel bolts (ASTM
A307). In contemporary steel frame
construction, bolted structural connections
rely almost exclusively on
high-strength bolts. Carbon steel
bolts (also called ÒunÞ nishedÓ or
ÒcommonÓ bolts) Þ nd only limited
use, such as in the fastening of minor
framing elements or temporary connections.
The manner in which a bolted
structural steel connection derives its
strength depends on how the bolts
are installed. In a bearing-type connection,
bolts need only be installed to
a snug-tight condition. In this case,
movement between the joined members
is resisted by the bolts themselves
as the sides of the bolt holes in the
connected members bear against the
bodies of the bolts. In a slip-critical
(or friction type) connection, bolts are
preloaded (tightened during installation)
to such an extent that friction
between the adjoining faces of the
steel members (the faying surfaces)
resists movement between the members.
Under normal load conditions,
bolts in bearing-type connections
are stressed primarily in shear, while
those in slip-critical connections are
stressed in tension.