Mechanical performance of elliptical one-sided bolts for structural assembly

The applications of hollow sections members have gained broad recognition in civil construction considering both their functional advantages and architectural features. However, the use of such members presents challenges in connections to other structural members. In comparison to welded connections, bolted connections are regarded as an alternative with ease of installation and maintenance. This PhD study aims to develop a one-sided bolt configuration (i.e. the elliptical one-sided bolt) for structural assembly with practical and convenient installation sequence, as well as to evaluate and understand the mechanical performance of such elliptical one-sided joints in shear and tension as two fundamental loading scenarios in practices.