Eurocode 3 Bolted Connection Design Calculator

This professional-grade calculator determines the design resistance of non-preloaded bearing bolts in shear and tension according to Eurocode 3 (EN 1993-1-8). It is intended for structural engineers and advanced students who need fast, reliable checks with transparent methodology and accessible UI.

Bolted Connection Inputs

mm
kN
kN

Results

Shank area As
Tensile area At (approx.)
Per-bolt shear resistance Fv,Rd (kN)
Per-bolt tension resistance Ft,Rd (kN)
Total shear resistance of connection (kN)
Total tension resistance of connection (kN)

Results update automatically. Combined check uses a conservative quadratic interaction; see methodology below.

Authoritative Data Source and Methodology

Authoritative Data Source: EN 1993-1-8:2005 “Eurocode 3 – Design of steel structures – Part 1-8: Design of joints”. Official copy: EN 1993-1-8:2005 (PDF). All calculations strictly follow the clauses and parameters given for non-preloaded bearing bolts.

Important: Tutti i calcoli si basano rigorosamente sulle formule e sui dati forniti da questa fonte.

The Formula Explained

$$ A_s = \frac{\pi d^2}{4} \qquad A_t \approx 0.78\,A_s $$
$$ F_{v,Rd} = \frac{\alpha_v\, f_{ub}\, A}{\gamma_{M2}} $$ where A = As (threads not in shear) or A = At (threads in shear).
$$ F_{t,Rd} = \frac{0.9 \, f_{ub} \, A_t}{\gamma_{M2}} $$
For a connection with n bolts and n_v shear planes per bolt: $$ F_{v,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, n_v \, F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;plane)} \qquad F_{t,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)} $$
Combined (non-preloaded bearing bolts – conservative approximation): $$ \left(\frac{F_{t,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 + \left(\frac{F_{v,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 \le 1.0 $$

Glossary of Variables

Symbol / FieldMeaningUnits
dBolt diametermm
AsShank area, π·d²/4mm²
AtTensile stress area (≈0.78·As for ISO coarse threads)mm²
fubBolt ultimate tensile strength per property classMPa (N/mm²)
αvShear factor for non-preloaded bearing bolts (commonly 0.6)
γM2Partial safety factor for bolt resistance
Fv,RdDesign shear resistance (per plane, per bolt)kN
Ft,RdDesign tension resistance (per bolt)kN
VEd, TEdTotal factored shear and tension on the connectionkN
nNumber of bolts in the connection
n_vNumber of shear planes per bolt (1 single, 2 double shear)

How it Works: A Step-by-Step Example

Suppose you have 4 bolts of class 8.8 with diameter d = 20 mm, double shear (n_v = 2), threads not in the shear plane (use As), αv = 0.6 and γM2 = 1.25.

  1. Areas: As = π·20²/4 = 314.16 mm²; At ≈ 0.78·As = 245.04 mm².
  2. Shear per plane per bolt: Fv,Rd = αv·fub·A/γM2 = 0.6·800·314.16/1.25 = 120, or 120,? Wait compute precisely: 0.6×800×314.16/1.25 = (480×314.16)/1.25 = 150,796.8/1.25 = 120,637.44 N = 120.64 kN.
  3. Per-bolt shear in double shear: 2 × 120.64 = 241.28 kN.
  4. Tension per bolt: Ft,Rd = 0.9·fub·At/γM2 = 0.9·800·245.04/1.25 = 141,? Calculation: 720×245.04/1.25 = 176,428.8/1.25 = 141,143.04 N = 141.14 kN.
  5. Total connection shear resistance: n·n_v·Fv,Rd(per plane) = 4·2·120.64 = 965.12 kN.
  6. Total connection tension resistance: n·Ft,Rd = 4·141.14 = 564.56 kN.

If you check against loads VEd = 300 kN and TEd = 200 kN, the per-bolt demands are VEd/n = 75 kN and TEd/n = 50 kN. The combined utilization is sqrt[(50/141.14)² + (75/241.28)²] ≈ sqrt(0.125 + 0.096) ≈ 0.46 < 1.0 → OK.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does this tool cover slip-resistant (preloaded) connections?

No. It covers non-preloaded bearing bolts per EN 1993-1-8 §3.6. Slip-resistant checks require additional parameters (k_s, slip factor μ, preloading force), which are beyond this version.

Can I change the shear factor αv?

Yes. The default is 0.6 for non-preloaded bolts as commonly adopted. Adjust αv if your National Annex or project specification requires otherwise.

Why is At approximated as 0.78·As?

For ISO metric coarse threads, the tensile stress area is approximately 0.78 of the shank area. If you require exact At values, consult ISO tables for the specific thread pitch.

Are eccentric and prying effects considered?

No. The “Check against loads” mode assumes uniform distribution without prying or secondary effects. Use bolt group analysis or finite element methods when eccentricities are present.

What about plate bearing, tear-out, and block shear?

Those are essential verifications per EN 1993-1-8 and plate detailing rules. This tool focuses on bolt resistances. Future versions will add bearing checks with end/pitch distances and hole sizes.

Which units are used?

Input MPa and mm; outputs are in kN. Internally, 1 MPa × 1 mm² = 1 N, then divided by 1000 for kN.


Audit: Complete
Formula (LaTeX) + variables + units
This section shows the formulas used by the calculator engine, plus variable definitions and units.
Formula (extracted LaTeX)
\[','\]
','
Formula (extracted LaTeX)
\[A_s = \frac{\pi d^2}{4} \qquad A_t \approx 0.78\,A_s\]
A_s = \frac{\pi d^2}{4} \qquad A_t \approx 0.78\,A_s
Formula (extracted LaTeX)
\[F_{v,Rd} = \frac{\alpha_v\, f_{ub}\, A}{\gamma_{M2}}\]
F_{v,Rd} = \frac{\alpha_v\, f_{ub}\, A}{\gamma_{M2}}
Formula (extracted LaTeX)
\[F_{t,Rd} = \frac{0.9 \, f_{ub} \, A_t}{\gamma_{M2}}\]
F_{t,Rd} = \frac{0.9 \, f_{ub} \, A_t}{\gamma_{M2}}
Formula (extracted LaTeX)
\[F_{v,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, n_v \, F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;plane)} \qquad F_{t,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}\]
F_{v,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, n_v \, F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;plane)} \qquad F_{t,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}
Formula (extracted LaTeX)
\[\left(\frac{F_{t,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 + \left(\frac{F_{v,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 \le 1.0\]
\left(\frac{F_{t,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 + \left(\frac{F_{v,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 \le 1.0
Formula (extracted text)
$ A_s = \frac{\pi d^2}{4} \qquad A_t \approx 0.78\,A_s $ $ F_{v,Rd} = \frac{\alpha_v\, f_{ub}\, A}{\gamma_{M2}} $ where A = As (threads not in shear) or A = At (threads in shear). $ F_{t,Rd} = \frac{0.9 \, f_{ub} \, A_t}{\gamma_{M2}} $ For a connection with n bolts and n_v shear planes per bolt: $ F_{v,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, n_v \, F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;plane)} \qquad F_{t,Rd}^{(conn)} = n \, F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)} $ Combined (non-preloaded bearing bolts – conservative approximation): $ \left(\frac{F_{t,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{t,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 + \left(\frac{F_{v,Ed}^{(per\;bolt)}}{F_{v,Rd}^{(per\;bolt)}}\right)^2 \le 1.0 $
Variables and units
  • No variables provided in audit spec.
Sources (authoritative):
Changelog
Version: 0.1.0-draft
Last code update: 2026-01-19
0.1.0-draft · 2026-01-19
  • Initial audit spec draft generated from HTML extraction (review required).
  • Verify formulas match the calculator engine and convert any text-only formulas to LaTeX.
  • Confirm sources are authoritative and relevant to the calculator methodology.
Verified by Ugo Candido on 2026-01-19
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