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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to report on an investigation into the effects that prying action has on bolts and connecting members. The case in which a steel member is reinforced with a transverse stiffener is investigated specifically for an increase in prying action due to a combination of prying along the member’s cross-section and length, referred to in this paper as two-way prying. The methods employed for this investigation include a critical literature review examining the background of the current AISC provisions related to prying action as well as the creation and analysis of multiple computer models using SAP 2000 software. The analysis of the models included analyzing the bolt forces, material stresses, and overall behavior of the connection for each case. The main results of the analysis indicate that the introduction of a transverse stiffener reduced the force in each bolt by 21% and redistributes the stress in the flange in a way which reduces the maximum experienced stress. The report concludes that two-way prying action did not occur based on the SAP 2000 model result. Further research is suggested to compare the results of this study to the results of both physical testing and refined finite element analysis to yield comprehensive and conclusive results.