Finite Element Simulation of Tightening Process of Bolted Joint With a Tensioner

Abstract

In tightening structural members with bolts or studs, hydraulic bolt tensioners are frequently used in the case where the clamping force must be controlled with high accuracy. The most important factor in the operation is the ratio of desired clamping force to initial tension applied by a hydraulic tensioner, which is termed “effective tensile coefficient” here. In this paper, a numerical approach of the tightening process is proposed using the finite element method, which can deal with axisymmetric elastic contact problems. The amounts of the coefficient are estimated for various design factors such as grip length, nominal diameter of screw thread, and coefficients of friction on contact surfaces.