Engineers employ shear connections - riveted and bolted butt and lap joints - in a wide range of structures and machines. Ordinary stress analysis of joints are unable to define the features that ultimately govern fatigue and fretting and provide bases for design. Detailed analysis has only become possible recently with advances in finite element methods and computing capabilities. This text places into context the results of over 150 detailed 2D and 3D finite element analyses of aluminum and steel shear connections so that engineers can optimise the design and reliability of shear joints. - Understand how to optimise the design and reliability of shear joints - Places into context the results of over 150 detailed, 2D and 3D finite element analysis of aluminium and steel sheer connections