6.
0 FASTENER LOAD TABLES COMMENTARY
Fastener Load Tables provide data for
evaluating the loaded performance of
various size fasteners and fastener metals.
The performance of the metals being
fastened must be determined separately. The
values given are for quality fasteners in
round clearance holes or tapped holes as
noted. When specifying fasteners, the
designer, in addition to specifying loaded
performance, must specify fastener quality,
corrosion resistance and minimum
mechanical properties. Specification of these
items is usually done by appropriate
reference to ASTM or other recognized
standards.
The two general types of fasteners described
in this report have either machine threads or
spaced threads. Thread angle of both types
of threads is 60 degrees. Machine threaded
fasteners have threads which are closely
spaced in accordance with the
diameter/pitch combinations of the Unified
Coarse Thread Series (UNC), as shown in
Figures 1 (external threads), 4 (external
threads) and 5 (internal threads). The form
of Unified Threads is specified in
ANSI/ASME B1.1, Unified Inch Screws
Threads (UN and UNR Forms). Fasteners
with spaced threads, as shown in Figure 2,
have an expanded thread pitch which results
in the spaced threaded fastener having fewer
threads per inch than a fastener with
machine threads of the same diameter.
As mentioned in the Introduction, Unified
Coarse Machine Threaded Fasteners are
generally used in either clear holes with
mating nuts or in tapped holes. Thread
cutting screws with machine threads are
used to cut their own threads in pre-drilled
holes. These screws carry tensile and shear
loads. Spaced threaded fasteners are
generally used only as tapping screws. Most
thread forming screws and some thread
cutting screws have spaced threads. Like
fasteners with machined threads, these
fasteners carry tensile and shear loads.
However, due to the small number of
threads per inch, spaced threaded fasteners
have smaller effective tensile and shear
areas than machine threaded fasteners of the
same nominal diameter. Also, less thread
engagement means that a spaced threaded
fastener will have lower pullout resistance
than a comparable fastener with machine
AAMA TIR A9-91
threads. However, this is not always true for thin materials. To provide
conservative values, the tensile and shear loads for fasteners with
spaced threads are based on a minimum cross-sectional area. This area
is found by using the minimum minor diameter and neglects any
additional strength provided by the threads.
The minimum material thickness to equal the allowable tension for
spaced thread fasteners as shown in Tables 23 through 31 is based on
the TSA (I) and N for Unified Coarse Threads from Table 4. Based on
a series of pullout strength tests made with 8-18, 10-16, 12-14 and 1/4-
14 screws in different thicknesses of aluminum alloy 6063-T5, it has
been determined that the values of pullout or material which appear in
the tables are conservative.
Thorough testing has shown that fasteners with Unified Threads fail in
tension at loads corresponding to those of unthreaded parts with
diameters approximately midway between their pitch diameters and
minor diameters. The area determined by this diameter is known as the
Tensile Stress Area. It is calculated by the following equation:
2
0.9743
Tensile Stress Area = A(S) = 0.7854 D- sq. in.
N
EQUATION 1
For tension connections in tapped holes, be sure that the fastener length
is sufficient to ensure full thread engagement.
The geometric shear area for fasteners with Unified Threads is equal to
the area of a circle with a diameter equal to the basic minor diameter of
the external thread. This area, known as the Thread Root Area, is
calculated by Equation 2. Refer to the Appendix for a derivation of this
equation.
1.2269
2
Thread Root Area = A(R) = 0.7854 D - sq. in.
N
EQUATION 2
The tensile stress area as calculated by Equation 1 is used to determine
the allowable tension loads for Unified Coarse Thread Steel Screws
below 15 mm (5/8 in) in diameter and for stainless steel screws sizes 6-
32 through 1 inch.
The Thread Root Area as calculated by Equation 2 is used to determine
the allowable shear loads for Unified Coarse Thread Steel Screws
below 15 mm (5/8 in) in diameter and for stainless steel screws sizes 6-
32 through 1 inch.
For steel screws 15 mm (5/8 in) through 25 mm (1 in) nominal
diameters the AISC recommendations are followed. These
recommendations call for a tensile stress area and shear stress area
based on the nominal diameter as shown in Equation 3.
Tensile Stress Area = Shear Stress Area = 0.7854D2 in2
EQUATION 3
Page 7
Inasmuch as the use of 0.6Fy appears overly conservative
for fastener metals with low yield-to-ultimate ratios, and
not sufficiently conservative for fasteners with high yield-
to-ultimate ratios, the 0.6Fy limit has been replaced by the
lesser of Ft = 0.75Fy or Ft = 0.40Fu, and
FY Fu
Fv = 0.75 or Fv = 0.40
33 33
in the computation of the tensile and shear allowable
stresses given in the load tables for steel fasteners. These
limits produce tensile and shear values which are less than
those based on the AISI Stainless Steel Cold-Formed
Design Manual (1974) and less than values that would be
obtained from the AISC provisions for larger bolts. The
2.5 factor of safety on ultimate is consistent with the 1986
AISI Cold-Formed Steel Specification value and exceeds
the 2.34 factor of safety currently used for aluminum
bolts. An exception to this is made for the 15 mm to 25
mm (5/8 in to 1 in) steel screws in Tables 5 and 6, and for
the 12 mm to 25 mm (1/2 in to 1 in) steel screws in Tables
7 and 8. For these screws the AISC values for allowable
tensile and allowable shear stresses are used. Using the
nominal area, the allowable tensile stress Ft = 0.33Fu and
the allowable shear stress Fv = 0.17Fu. Tables are based
on threads in the shear plane.
Fasteners subjected to combined tensile and shear loads
are limited by the following interaction equation:
fv 2 ft 2
+ ^ 
Fv Ft
EQUATION 4
This equation applies to all fasteners regardless of size.
The allowable bearing area for fasteners is the nominal
diameter multiplied by the length in bearing, except that
for countersunk bolts and screws one half the depth of the
countersink is deducted from the length.
Allowable bearing for steel in standard round or short-
slotted holes for two or more fasteners is determined by
Equation 5. Values calculated from this equation are used
in the load tables. For allowable bearing for single
fasteners use Equation 9 on page 10.
Allowable Bearing = 1.2(Fu) (D) (t) lbf
EQUATION 5
The bearing strength of steel fasteners in slotted holes
perpendicular to the walls should be reduced below the
bearing strength in round holes in accordance with the
requirements given in the section on 'Allowable Bearing
at Bolt Holes,' subsections 'Minimum Spacing for Steel'
and 'Minimum Edge Distance for Steel', Page 10.
Allowable bearing for aluminum in standard round or
short-slotted holes is determined by Equation 6.
Fby
Allowable Bearing = (D) (t) lbf
1.65
EQUATION 6
AAMA TIR A9-91
Fby is the minimum bearing yield strength for the
aluminum alloy. 1.65 is the safety factor. Allowable
bearing stresses for aluminum may be found in Table
5.1.1a in The Aluminum Association's, "Specifications for
Aluminum Structures." The bearing strength of aluminum
for fasteners in slotted holes perpendicular to the walls
should be reduced to 2/3 of the bearing strength in round
holes. Refer to Page 11 for information on bolt spacing
and edge distance.
Also included in the load tables for fasteners with Unified
Threads are values for minimum material thickness to
equal the tensile capacity of the fastener. Reference
should be made to sample calculations on page 19 and to
Table 4 for the equations and methods of calculation used
to determine these thicknesses.
The pullout resistance of self-tapping screws in screw
slots should be reduced to 3/4 of the pullout resistance in
tapped round holes. The Aluminum Association provides
some guidelines for the design of screw slots. These are
shown on Figure 3, page 13. However, these no longer
represent industry standards inasmuch as manufacturers
with knowledge and experience in extrusion design
generally design their own screw slots to meet the needs
of the application. The length of a screw used in a screw
slot is found to be 4/3 of the chart value for round tapped
holes plus 6 mm (1/4 in) plus the thickness of the material
the screw passes through before entering the screw slot.
The shear strength of a fastener in a screw slot should be
equivalent to that in a round hole provided that it is not in
the direction of the opening of the screw slot.
Fasteners which are used in screw chases, that is, between
two parallel walls with either extruded or tapped screw
threads as shown in Figures 6a and 6b, must be carefully
evaluated. In general, bearing strength against the
extruded side walls may be assumed to be equivalent to
that for a fastener in a slotted hole. The pullout strength of
the fastener in a screw chase would be the pullout strength
of the fastener in a tapped hole multiplied by the percent
engagement in the screw chase as given in Equation 14.
The shear strength of a fastener in a screw chase should
be considered to be equal to that of a fastener in a round
hole if the direction of load application is perpendicular to
the walls of the screw chase. The shear strength of a
fastener in a screw chase parallel to the walls of the chase
is reduced by the shear factor given in Equation 13. In all
cases, consideration should be given to the use of a safety
factor which accounts for mechanical property variations,
extrusion tolerances and fabrication tolerances which may
run to the extreme end of their range.
The allowable stresses in the load tables have not been
increased by 1/3 for wind loads in calculating the values
for the loads shown. The decision on whether or not to
use the higher loads is left to the discretion of the
responsible engineer.
Page 8
7.0 ALLOWABLE BEARING AT BOLT HOLES
Minimum Spacing and Minimum Edge Distance

Allowable Bearing at Bolt Holes for Steel Allowable Bearing at Bolt Holes for Aluminum
On the projected area of fasteners in shear connections For Standard round holes:
with the end distance in the line of force not less than 1.5 Fby
nominal diameter, D, and the distance center to center of Fb =
1.65
fasteners not less than 3D:
Where: Fb = Allowable Bearing Stress
In standard or short-slotted holes with two or more Fby = Minimum Bearing Yield Stress
fasteners in the line of force: 1.65 = Safety Factor
Fb = 1.2Fu EQUATION 10
Where: Fb = Allowable Bearing Stress
Fu = Ultimate Tensile Stress This value shall be used for a ratio of edge distance to
EQUATION 7 hole diameter of 2 or greater. For smaller ratios this
allowable stress shall be multiplied by the ratio:
In long-slotted holes with the axis of the slot Edge Distance
perpendicular to the direction of the load and with two or 2 (Hole Diameter)
more fasteners in the line of force: Edge distance is the distance from the center of the
Fb = 1.0Fu fastener to the edge of the material in the direction of the
EQUATION 8 applied load. Edge distance shall not be less than 1.5D.

On the projected area of the fastener closest to the edge in For slotted holes:
standard or short-slotted holes with the edge distance less Fby
than 1.5D and in all connections with a single fastener in Fb =
2.48
the line of force:
Fu EQUATION 11
Fb = (Le) ^ Fu
2D
This allowable stress is equal to 2/3 of the allowable
EQUATION 9 bearing stress on fasteners in standard round holes.

Where Le = Distance from the free edge to the centerline
of the fastener.
If 1.2Fu is the desired bearing stress for a single fastener
in the line of force, then Le must not be less than 2.4D.
Minimum Spacing for Steel
Along a line of transmitted forces, the distance between
centers of standard holes shall be not less than 3D when
Fb is determined by Equations 7 or 8.
Minimum Edge Distance for Steel
Along a line of transmitted force, with two or more
fasteners in the direction of the force, the distance from
the center of a standard hole to the edge of the connected
part shall be not less than 1.5D when Fb is determined by
Equations 7 or 8.
Minimum Spacing for Aluminum
Minimum distance between bolt centers shall be 2-1/2
times the nominal bolt diameter.
Minimum Edge Distance for Aluminum
The distance from the center of the bolt to the edge of the
sheet or shape toward which the pressure is directed shall
be twice the nominal diameter of the bolt when stress is
computed by Equation 10 or 11.
For further information on bearing loads, spacing and
edge distances reference should be made to Section 5,
'Mechanical Connections,' of The Aluminum
Association's Publication #30, "Specifications for
Aluminum Structures," Fifth Edition. Allowable bearing
stresses for a number of aluminum alloys will be found in
Table 5.1.1a of this section.

Where deformation around a hole is not a design

consideration, where oversized and slotted holes are
involved, and where conditions differ from those
described in the foregoing paragraphs, reference should
be made to Part 5, Pages 5-74 and 5-75 of the Ninth
Edition, "AISC Manual of Steel Construction; Allowable
Stress Design," for the procedures to be followed in
determining the allowable bearing stress, minimum
spacing and minimum edge distance.

AAMA TIR A9-91 Page 10

8.0 STANDARD AND SLOTTED BOLT HOLES
It is recommended that holes for bolts not exceed the sizes specified in Table 1 for friction connections. Slots longer than
these dimensions may be used for expansion or anchor alignment purposes with appropriate engineering analysis or testing.

MAXIMUM SIZE OF BOLT HOLES, INCHES

Nominal Bolt Standard Hole Oversized Hole Short-Slotted Hole
Long-Slotted Hole Dimensions in.
Diameter, d in. Diameter, d in. Diameter, d in. Dimensions in.

1 1 d + 1 by d + 1 d + 1 by 1 d
<1/2 d+ d+ 2-2
32 16 32 4 32 2

1 1 d + 1 by d + 1 d + 1 by 1
_  d+ d+ 2-2 d
16 8 16 4 16 2

TABLE 1

Standard holes shall be used in bolted connections, except that oversized and slotted holes may be used as approved by the
designer. The length of slotted holes shall be normal to the direction of the shear load. Washers or back-up plates shall be
installed over oversized or short-slotted holes in an outer ply unless suitable performance is demonstrated by load tests in
accordance with Section F of AISI specification entitled, "Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members," August 19,
1986 Edition.

9.0 PULLOUT STRENGTH

Pullout strength must be sufficient to resist the allowable tension of the The values given for minimum
fastener used in a tension connection. It depends on the metal alloy being thickness in the load tables for both
fastened, the allowable shear stress of the metal, the fastener size and Unified Coarse Threads and spaced
number of threads per inch (N), the internal thread stripping area (TSA(I)), threads are calculated from Equation
and the length of fastener engagement (LE). Refer to Table 4 for 12. In the case of spaced threads,
dimensional information on Unified Coarse Threads. The length of however, the allowable tension is
engagement necessary to conservatively provide this pullout strength is calculated from the minor diameter area
given by the following equation: but the number of threads used in the
calculation is the same as that used for
Allowable Tension 1 Unified Threads. This procedure gives
LE = +
(Allowable Shear Stress) TSA (I) (N) N values which by test have been shown
to be conservative. Values less than
0.4Fu 0.75Fy those shown in the tables should not be
Allowable Shear Stress for Steel = or , whichever is less used without engineering calculations
33 33
Allowable Shear Stress for Aluminum = 0.4Fsu and/or tests which demonstrate their
acceptability.
EQUATION 12
The effectiveness of the length of
Fsu is the shear ultimate strength for aluminum. Values for Fsu are given in engagement beyond the minimum
Table 3.3.1a of The Aluminum Association's Manual, "Specifications for required diminishes as the length
Aluminum Structures." increases. Little, if any, added strength
is gained by exceeding a length equal to
The length of engagement calculated by this equation also equals the twice the nominal thread diameter. For
minimum thickness (MT) required for adequate pullout resistance. 1/N has spaced threads the effective length of
been added to increase the thickness in order to compensate for the fact that fasteners with tapered points begins at
threads at each side of the plate or sheet being fastened diminish from full the point of full diameter threads.
cross-sectional area (a thread's length in from the plate or sheet surface) to
zero area at the surface. This added thickness also helps to resist local
cupping or bending at the fastener location.

AAMA TIR A9-91 Page 11

18.0 STAINLESS STEEL BOLTS, HEX CAP SCREWS, and STUDS
MATERIALS Abstract of ASTM F 593 1985

TABLE 3: MECHANICAL PROPERTY REQUIREMENTSA

Full-Size Tests Machined Specimen Tests
Alloy Tensile Yield Tensile Yield
ConditionB Nominal Diameter, in. Rockwell
Group Strength, Strength, Strength, Strength, Elongation in 4D, %
Hardness
ksiD, E ksi C, D, E
ksiD ksi C, D
Austenitic Alloys
AF 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 85 max -- B85 max 80 max 50 max 40
A 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 75 to 100 30 B65 to 95 70 30 30
1, 2, 3
CW 1/4 to 5/8 incl. 100 to 150 65 B95 to C32 95 60 20
CW 3/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 85 to 140 45 B80 to C32 80 40 25
1/4 to 5/8 incl. 120 to 160 95 C24 to C36 115 90 12
3/4 to 1 incl. 110 to 150 75 C20 to C32 105 70 15
SH
1-1/8 to 1-1/4 incl. 100 to 140 60 B95 to C30 95 55 20
1-3/8 to 1-1/2 incl. 95 to 130 45 B90 to C28 90 40 28
Ferritic Alloys
4 A 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 70 to 100 35 B65 to 95 70 35 25
Martensitic Alloys
5 H 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 110 to 140 90 C20 to 30 110 90 18
HT 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 160 to 190 120 C34 to 45 160 120 12
6 H 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 125 to 150 100 C25 to 32 125 100 15
HT 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 180 to 220 140 C40 to 48 180 140 10
Precipitation Hardening Alloys
7 AH 1/4 to 1-1/2 incl. 135 to 170 105 C28 to 38 135 105 16

A
Minimum values except where shown as maximum or as a range.
B
Legend of conditions:

A -
Machined from annealed or solution annealed stock thus retaining the properties of the original material.
AF -
Headed and rolled from annealed stock and then reannealed
AH -
Solution annealed and age hardened after forming
CW -
Headed and rolled from annealed stock thus acquiring a degree of cold work; sizes 0.75 in. and larger may be hot
worked
H - Hardened and tempered at 565°C (1050°F) minimum
HT - Hardened and tempered at 274°C (525°F) minimum
SH - Machined from strain hardened stock
C
Yield strength is stress at which an offset of 0.2% gage length occurs.
D
The yield and tensile strength values for full-size products shall be computed by dividing the yield and maximum tensile
load values, as determined in pounds of applied load by testing in accordance with ASTM F 606, by the stress area for the
product size and thread series (Tables 1, 2 and 3, pages A-30, A-31 and A-32.)
E
To compute tensile and yield strengths in pounds, multiply the stress (ksi) by the stress area for the product size and thread
series (Tables 1, 2 and 3, pages A-30, A-31 and A-32).

NOTE: The load tables for stainless steel are based on the tensile and yield strengths given above for full-size tests.

This table is reproduced with permission from ASTM and IFI "Fastener Standards," 6th Edition. IFI

AAMA TIR A9-91 Page 22