Post fire performance of thin-walled carbon steel single shear bolted connections

Evaluation of a steel building after a fire is very important for the determination of the reuse of post-fired steel components. This research is aimed at studying the post-fire behavior of single-shear bolted connections. It examines the influence of some of the key parameters, including end distance, edge distance, and spacing between bolts, on the behavior of the connection after exposure to fire. The specimens were heated to 1000 °C and cooled by water. After heating and cooling of the specimens, some physical changes were noted; the first was the deformation (curvature), and its amount was greater as the surface area of the specimen increased. In addition, a decrease in the thickness of the specimens was recorded. The reduction in the thickness of the specimens was about 18%, which must be taken into consideration in the redesign of the steel structure after it has been exposed to fire. The majority of the specimens failed by net tensile fracture. Some of the specimens with relatively large end distance showed curling displacement before failure. Only one specimen failed by end-distance fracture without curling displacement.