Steel · Connections: bolts & welds
Bolt in combined tension & shear (with prying) calculator
Bolt tension capacity, prying allowance and the elliptical shear–tension interaction.
Standard: AS 4100 Cl 9.3.2.2, 9.3.2.3
Inputs in the worked example
The live calculator starts with these values; change any of them and every result, check and diagram updates instantly.
| Input | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt size | M20 | |
| Bolt category | 8.8/S | |
| Threads in shear plane? | Yes | |
| Design tension per bolt N* | 80 | kN |
| Prying allowance | 20 | % |
| Design shear per bolt V* | 30 | kN |
Worked example — results
| Result | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt diameter df | 20.00 | mm |
| Bolt tensile strength fuf | 830.0 | MPa |
| Tensile stress area As | 245.0 | mm² |
| Core area Ac (threads) | 225.0 | mm² |
| Shank area Ao | 314.0 | mm² |
| Bolt tension incl. prying | 96.00 | kN |
| φNtf = 0.8 As fuf | 162.7 | kN |
| φVf (single plane) | 92.63 | kN |
| Interaction (V/φVf)² + (N/φNtf)² | 0.453 | |
| Limit | 1.00 |
- ✓ Tension ≤ φNtf
- ✓ Interaction ≤ 1.0
Method, formulas and assumptions
- Bolt diameter df = CHOOSE(3,12,16,20,24,30,36) = 20 mm
- Bolt tensile strength fuf = IF(2=1,400,830) = 830 MPa
- Tensile stress area As = CHOOSE(3,84.3,157,245,353,561,817) = 245 mm²
- Core area Ac (threads) = CHOOSE(3,76.2,144,225,324,519,759) = 225 mm²
- Shank area Ao = CHOOSE(3,113,201,314,452,707,1018) = 314 mm²
- Bolt tension incl. prying = 80*(1+20/100) = 96 kN
- φNtf = 0.8 As fuf = 0.8*245*830/1000 = 162.68 kN
- φVf (single plane) = 0.8*0.62*830*IF(1=1,225,314)/1000 = 92.628 kN
- Interaction (V/φVf)² + (N/φNtf)² = (30/92.628)^2+(96/162.68)^2 = 0.45313
- Limit = 1 = 1
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For preliminary design and education. Check every result against the current standard and your own engineering judgement before use.