The application of duroplastic gap filling material DIAMANT MM1018 in preloaded bolted connections

In steel construction, bolted connections are preloaded either for load-bearing capacity reasons or for serviceability reasons. Single and multi-section connections of wind turbines, offshore plants, bridges etc. are typical application examples. Gap formation, caused by imperfections due to fabrication and assembly, poses a risk e. g. for the controlled application of the required preload level as well as for the prevention of cavity corrosion. This can significantly impair the load-bearing capacity and the durability of the connection and even lead to a premature failure. Therefore, the formation of gaps must be kept to a minimum, whereby DIN EN 1090-2 provides possible measures such as the use of packing plates for this purpose. Two-component reaction resin systems based on epoxy resins, which are filled with special metallic materials to improve the mechanical properties, are a possible alternative for gap filling. Systematic investigations were carried out into the use of the gap-filling material MM1018 for use in preloaded bolted connections. In this contribution, experimentally determined slip factors as well as the expected preload losses over the service life are presented and discussed. Stranghöner, N.; Makevicius, L.; Korbaj, A.; Kunde, C. (2023) Einsatz vom duroplastischen Spaltausgleichsmaterial DIAMANT MM1018 in vorgespannten geschraubten Verbindungen. Stahlbau 92, No. 1, pp. 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/stab.202200069 The application of duroplastic gap filling material DIAMANT MM1018 in preloaded bolted connections E D I T O R ’ S R E C O M M E N D A T I O N