Given: Consider the double-shear bolted connection at right. The upper and lower plates both are a = 10 mm thick. The middle plate is b = 15 mm thick. The bolt has diameter d = 10 mm. The system is subjected to a load of P = 5.0 kN as shown.

Req'd: Determine:
(a) the Maximum Average Bearing Stress in the bolt.
(b) the Average Shear Stress in the bolt.

Sol'n: Consider the stresses acting on the bolt. The upper and lower plates transfer P/2 to the bolt. The average bearing stresses on the top and bottom segments of the bolt are:

The middle plate transfers the entire force P:

Therefore, the Maximum Average Bearing Stress in the bolt is:

The maximum average shear stress in the bolt occurs where the plates meet. Due to symmetry of the connection, only the top (or bottom) segment of the bolt need be analyzed. From the FBD, maximum average shear stress in the bolt is: