Aerospace Threaded Fastener Strength With Joint Shims

Bolted joints with a nonload-carrying member, like a shim or spacer, and loaded in shear introduce bending moment into the bolt that reduces the bolt shear load-carrying capability. Various design criteria are available that attempt to account for the additional bending and provide reduced allowable bolt loads. The actual shear load-carrying capability of a typical aerospace fastener with various thickness shims was determined by test using both aluminum and steel joint members. The results are compared against existing design criteria, which are shown to be adequate for their intended purposes.