Drilled and tapped high-strength steel plates are possible replacements of nuts and can be combined with high-strength bolts to form new assemblies that are used as blind bolts for steel tube column frame joints. In order to study the tensile capacity and failure mechanism of steel plate composite bolts

on the basis of our experimental research results

64 specimens were tested under monotonic tensile load by ABAQUS software. The thicknesses of four types of steel plates (i.e.

Q345B

45#

Q460C

and Q690D) and the diameters of five specifications of high-strength bolts (i.e.

M16

M20

M24

M27

and M30) in grade 10.9 were investigated. Results show that the Q345B

Q460C

and Q690D steel plates can replace the 45# steel plate. The tensile value of the steel plate composite bolts can be designed as 70% of the ultimate tensile load of the screw thread under reliable anchored. For thin steel plates

the bolt was pulled out

the steel plate thread experienced shear failure

the out-of-plane deformation of the steel plate was larger than 1/200 of the support distance

and the screw maximum stress located in the anchoring area. For thick steel plates

the bolt experienced tensile fracture

and the screw maximum stress located in the structural area. The positions of the maximum stress of the steel plates in the two failure modes were both at the first thread. In order to avoid the steel plate thread failure in the steel plate composite bolt

it is suggested that the thicknesses of Q345B

Q460C

and Q690D steel plates should be no less than 1.15d

1.10d

and 0.95d

respectively. Based on the elastic mechanics and thread-related research

the formula for tensile capacity of high-strength steel plate composite bolts was derived. The calculated results were in good agreement with the finite element results. The research results can provide a reference for the design of high-strength steel plate composite bolts.