Bearing failure of composite bolted joints with non-uniform bolt-to-washer clearance

This paper investigates the effect of the relative positions of the bolt and the washer on bearing failure behavior of bolted composite joints with various lateral constraints. Two extreme diametral fit positions, with a positive or negative bolt hole-to-washer clearance, were considered. Experimental results show that the relative location can affect the initial failure loads but not the ultimate failure loads. The measured failure loads were also used to validate an existing analytical model.