Mechanical fasteners, such as screws, bolts, pins and rivets, have been used for hundreds of years to assemble wood and metal structures. As composites have replaced other materials in structural ...

In my previous column, I discussed double-shear testing of a single fastener (see “Editor's Picks,” at right). But fasteners also can be subjected to single-shear loading — our subject this time — and ...

These fasteners should be used when repeated access to a component is necessary. When selecting these fasteners, important factors include strength of construction, smoothness of operation, and ease ...