If plates A and B are connected by bolt C, shear will take place in bolt C in plane DD'. The bolt is in single shear. To determine the average shearing stress in the plane, free-body diagrams of bolt C and of the portion of the bolt located above the plane is drawn. Observing that the shear P = F, it can be concluded that the average shearing stress is:
(Eq1)
τave =
P
A
=
F
A
Double Shear
If splice plates H and J are used to connect plates E and G, shear will take place in bolts K and L in each of the two planes MM' and NN'. The bolts are in double shear. To determine the average shearing stress in each plane, free-body diagrams of bolt L and of the portion of the bolt located between the two planes is drawn. Observing that the shear P in each of the sections is P = F/2, it can be concluded that the average shearing stress is:
