As screw fasteners are so often used in aluminum structures, the structural integrity of joints made with these fasteners are highly dependent on proper design guidelines. The Hydro Extrusion Design Manual 2009 and The Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Design Manual 2005 present general design guidelines for mechanical connections. The Hydro Manual includes joining guidelines for longitudinal screw slots and self tapping screws (page 39), and The Association Manual includes guidelines for slip critical bolted connections (Section 5.2.8) and tapping screw connections (Section 5.4).
As members of The Aluminum Association Engineering and Design Task Force, responsible for Aluminum Design Manual content, the authors of these two LMA articles have conducted valuable research into pull-out strength of self tapping fasteners in screw slots/screw bosses in various 6063-T5 and 6061-T6 extruded profiles and pull-over failures in 3003, 5005, 5052, 6105, and 6061 sheet and plate. Aluminum extrusions and sheet and plate products figure prominently in the worldwide green building movement. These two articles significantly expand the design guidelines that building and construction engineers can used when assembling aluminum structures.
- “Pull-Out Strength of Self Tapping Fasteners in Aluminum Screw Slot Connections,” by Dr. Craig C. Menzemer, Jigar Deliwala, and J. Randolph Kissell, LMA, October 2008. Click to view pdf
- “Hex Washer-Head Fastener Pull-Over in Moderately Thin Aluminum,” by James C. LaBelle and Tanya Dolby, LMA, April 2009. Click to view pdf