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Plate washers for oversize/slotted holes

bugbus

Structural
Aug 14, 2018
511
I have a few questions about plate washers that AS4100/AS5100.6 require for oversize or slotted holes. I want to make sure I have this right.

Taking the case of an M20 bolt as an example, it is clear from the code that anything other than a standard 22 diameter hole would count as oversize or slotted and therefore would require a hardened or plate washer that covers the entire extent of the hole plus an overlap of half the hole diameter. It is not clearly stated but I presume the bolt needs to be considered in its extreme position in the hole, rather than central.

The below sketch is showing a 28 diameter oversize hole, which is the largest allowed for an M20 bolt - requiring a 58 diameter or 58x58 square washer:
1.png
So far that's not too bad, but for a long slotted hole (22x50 in this case is the largest allowed), the plate washers start getting very unwieldy (102 diameter or 102x102 square in this case):
1737586215205.png
My question is, are people actually specifying and installing such large plate washers? Is it allowed to instead consider the bolt in its central location or does it need to be assumed right at the edge? I'm sure I have come across previous designs using oversize or slotted holes where plate washers were not specified.

Just curious how this is handled by others?

Thanks in advance
 
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In principle that is my interpretation - I check the fastener anywhere in the slot, and I specify special plate washers, despite that others generally do not. I did not check your dimensions, though are apparently relatively correct.
I have historically convinced myself to use "oval" special plate washers, to relatively mitigate some your observations.

Kulak's discussion, "Oversize and Slotted Holes", may be worth a review, despite that you may be aware etc:

 
Typically one would use square plate washers:

And there is a reason why they come in 100mm x 100mm. ;) I wouldn't worry about that extra 2mm, if you are turn the washer 45degrees.

Is it allowed to instead consider the bolt in its central location or does it need to be assumed right at the edge? I'm sure I have come across previous designs using oversize or slotted holes where plate washers were not specified.

You need to consider it at the edge as you have done.

Yes this clause is routinely ignored, especially for oversized base plate holes where it might actually be problematic. For a simple shear connection I wouldn't stress about it.
 
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