Proceedings of the ASME 2015 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
IMECE2015
November 13-19, 2015, Houston, Texas
3-D FEM STRESS ANALYSIS AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN BOLTED
JOINTS UNDER EXTERNAL TENSILE LOADINGS
Shunichiro SAWA
HARDLOCK Industry Co., Ltd.
5-9, 2-chome, Higashi Ueno,
Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Yasuhisa SEKIGUCHI
Hiroshima University
Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima
Hiroshima, Japan
KEYWORDS
Three dimensional FEM, stress concentration factor, elasto-
plastic analysis, fatigue fracture, bolted joints
ABSTRACT
In practical design for bolted joints, the stress concentration
factor (SCF) of the first root in screw threads is important. In
the present paper, the SCF in screw threads taking account of
spiral in the screw threads is analyzed using three-dimensional
Finite Element Method (FEM). In addition, the stress states of
screw threads under repeated and static loadings are analyzed in
elasto-plastic deformation range. The effect of bolt nominal
diameter (M12, M24 and M33) on SCF is also examined. In
addition, the experiment to measure the strains at the roots of
screw threads was carried out newly. It is found that the FEM
result is fairly coincided with the measured results. It is also
found that the SCF increases as the bolt nominal diameter
increases and the maximum stress is found to occur at the half
pith from the engaged screw threads. The value of SCF is
smaller in the coarse screw threads of M12 than that in the fine
screw threads of M 12. Finally, the bolt ruptures for several
nominal diameters are shown to occur from screw threads in the
non-engagement in bolted joints under static loadings and under
the repeated loadings the bolts are ruptured from the first root
of screw threads due to fatigue even if the bolt preload is the
higher.
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IMECE2015-50572
Mitsutoshi ISHIMURA
Shonan Institute of Technology
Tsujido-nishikaigan, Fujisawa,
Kanagawa, Japan
Toshiyuki SAWA
Hiroshima University
Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima
Hiroshima, Japan
1. INTRODUCTION
Bolted joints have been widely used in a lot of industries
such as mechanical structures, rail way, aerospace, automobile
and so on. However, some accidents have occurred in the world
due to rupture and fatigue of bolts, bolt loosening and so on. It
is well known that the bolt fatigue initiates from the first root of
engaged screw threads in bolted joints under repeated loadings.
The screw threads are continuous notches and then the stress
concentrates at the roots of screw threads. It is necessary to
know the stress concentration factor (SCF) at the first root of
screw thread for better designing the bolted joints from reliable
design standpoint and for preventing accidents. Some studies
have been carried out on SCF from experimentally and
numerically. Hetenyi [1] conducted the photo-elastic
experiments to measure SCF at the first root in screw threads
and he obtained SCF as α＝3.85 for the mean stress using the
cross sectional area of the diameter at the bolt shank. He also
showed SCF as α=2.73 for the mean stress using the root area.
Maruyama[2] carried out the Copper-Electroplating stress
measurement method to measure SCF at the first root of screw
thread and showed α＝4.5 for M24, pitch P=3.0mm and the
root radius r=0.4mm. However, some problems remain in the
experiments and the accuracy is an important problem in the
experiments. In addition, the reference cross sectional area of
bolt is also a problem. Recently, a 3-D FEM [3] for the stress
distribution and SCF of bolts have been conducted. However, it
is necessary to verify the accuracy of SCF.
Big issues for SCF are 1) SCF was obtained in two
dimensional stress state and three dimensional stress analysis is
not carried out sufficiently, 2) axi-symmetrical analyses for
 screw threads were conducted, however, spiral of screw threads
were not taken into account, 3) Some researches on SCF were
done in the initial clamping, however, the bolts were ruptured
under external static and repeated loadings. The stress
distributions at the roots of screw threads should be examined
under external loadings, 4) the bolts were known to be fractured
from the first root of screw thread under repeated external
loadings. It is necessary to know why the fracture initiates from
the first root of screw thread under repeated external tensile
loadings, 5) The effect of bolt nominal diameter d on SCF is
not shown. It is necessary to examine the effect of the nominal
diameter d on SCF, 6) It is necessary to measure the
stress/strains at the roots of screw thread in the engagement and
to verify the previous experimental results and FEM results of
SCF.
In our previous paper [4], 3-D FEM calculations were
done for analyzing SCF of M12 bolt taking into account the
spiral of screw threads. However, the effects of convergence of
FEM calculations and mesh divisions on the accuracy of FEM
results were not sufficient and the accuracy for FEM
calculations must be improved. In addition, the effects of the
bolt nominal diameter and the difference between the coarse
and fine screw threads on SCF have not been elucidated. It is
necessary to know the effect of the bolt nominal diameter on the
stress distributions along the roots in screw threads. In addition,
it is also necessary to know the effect in the difference between
the coarse screw threads and the fine screw threads in bolts on
the value of SCF and the fatigue strength
In the present paper, the objectives of the FEM analyses
are as follows; 1) the stress concentration factor (SCF) at the
root of the screw threads in an elastic deformation range is
analyzed using 3-D FEM ,taking account of the spiral of screw
threads and compared to the conventional results. 2) The
effect of nominal diameter d on SCF is analyzed using 3-D
FEM. 3) The effect in the difference between the fine and the
coarse screw threads of M12 bolt on SCF is examined. 4) For
verification of the FEM result, experiment is carried out to
measure the strains at the roots of screw threads using tiny
strain gauges and the result is compared with the 3-D FEM
result. 5) As the bolt preload increases, the stress at the roots
increases and it will yield. An elasto-plastic FEM analysis is
carried out and the stress distributions at each root in the
engaged screw threads are examined. In addition, a bolt rupture
process is examined under static loadings. 6) The experiments
are conducted to rupture some bolts under static loadings and
the comparisons of rupture phenomena are done between the
FEM results and the experimental results. 7) As the bolt preload
increases, the stress at some roots exceed the yield stress. A
rupture potion due to fatigue crack of the bolts under repeated
loadings is examined using FEM. Also, experiments to rupture
the bolts under repeated loadings are carried out and the
experimental results are compared with the FEM results. It is
necessary to confirm that the rupture position is the first root
even if the stress at the roots exceeds the yield stress in initial
clamping.
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Nomenclature
Ff : bolt preload[N]
Ft : increment in axial bolt force[N]
Fc : decrement in clamp force[N]
W : external tensile load[N]
2a : the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder[mm]
2b : the outside diameter of the hollow cylinder[mm]
h : the height of the hollow cylinder[mm]
r : the radius of the root of screw thread[mm]
P : pitch[mm]
As : the effective cross sectional area[mm2]
ds : the diameter of the cross section[mm]
α : the stress concentration factor (SCF)
σ1 : the maximum principal stress[MPa]
σn : the mean stress {=(tensile bolt load)/(π/4×ds 2)}[MPa]
σM : Mises’ stress[MPa]
σy : the bolt yield stress[MPa]
σZ :the normal stress[MPa]
2. MODEL OF BOLTED JOINTS FOR 3-D FEM
ANALYSIS
Figure 1 (a) shows a bolted joint where two hollow
cylinders are clamped with a bolt preload Ff and Fig.1 (b)
shows the case where an external tensile loading W is applied to
the joint and an increment in axial bolt force Ft occurs. The
outside diameter of the hollow cylinder is denoted by 2b, the
inside diameter by 2a and the height by h, respectively. Figure 2
shows a FEM model of the bolted joint for analysis. Two
hollow cylinders are clamped with a bolt preload Ff.
Cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z) is used. The bolt nominal
diameter d used in Fig.2(a) is M12 ×60×1.75 ( coarse screw
threads). Figure 2 (b) shows a case where an external tensile
loading W is applied to the bolted joint. The inside diameter of
the hollow cylinder is chosen as 2a=14 mm, the outside
diameter as 2b=27.6mm and the height of the cylinder as
h=23.5mm. The material of the hollow cylinders is mild steel.
(a) Initial clamping state (b) The case where an external
tensile loading is applied
Fig.1 Bolted joints under external tensile loading
 Their Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio are 206GPa
and 0.3, respectively. The boundary conditions are as follow:
All elements at the interfaces of the clamped parts (hollow
cylinder) are fixed in the axial direction as shown in Fig.2 (a)
and tensile stresses are applied at all elements at the lower
surface of the bolt axis shown in Fig.2 (a) such as 20,40,60 and
80% of the yield stress of the bolt. In the case where an external
tensile loading is applied as shown in Fig.1 (b), the load is
applied to the upper surface of the clamped part which is close
to bearing surfaces of nut as shown in Fig.2 (b).
In FEM analyses, 8-node hexahedron elements are used.
FEM code employed is ANSYS ver.15. CONTAC 174 and
TARGE 170 in ANSYS are used in FEM calculations. The
elements and nodes employed for Fig.2 (a) (half part of joint)
are 172176 and 169702, respectively and they are 242180 and
239306 for Fig.2 (b) (entire part of joint). Figure 3 shows a
stress - strain curves of the bolt material. The yield stress is
obtained as 840MPa (bolt strength grade is 8.8). The friction
coefficient is assumed 0.1 at the bearing surfaces and at the
contacted surfaces in the engaged screw threads. Bolt
pretension element is employed for applying the bolt preloads.
Figure 3 shows a stress - strain curves of the bolt material. The
yield stress is obtained as 840MPa (bolt strength grade is 8.8)
while the clamped parts (hollow cylinders, mile steel) is
assumed elastic material.
(a) In the initial clamping state (b) The case where external
tensile loading is applied
Fig.2 Model of bolted joint for FEM analysis
Fig.3 Measured Stress-strain curve of bolt
material (strength grade:8.8)
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The effect in the difference between the fine and the coarse
screw threads of M12, the bolt with fine screw threads is
analyzed as well as the coarse screw threads of M12 (Fig.2).
Figure 4 shows the mesh divisions of the fine screw threads of
M12. The root radius r is 0.219 mm for the coarse and
r=0.156 mm for fine screw threads of M12. In addition, for
examining the effect of the bolt nominal diameter d on SCF,
bolted joints are analyzed with M12, M24 and M33(coarse
screw threads) using 3-D FEM taking account the spiral of
screw threads. Figure 5 shows example of mesh divisions for
M24 and M33 with the coarse screw threads. The numbers of
elements and nodes for M24 are 1,013,568 and 1,008,745,
respectively and they are 572,928 and 571,282 for M33,
respectively. The root radius r is 0.375 mm for M24 and 0.438
mm for M33. The ratio of r to the nominal diameter d is
obtained as r/d=0.01825 for M12 (coarse), r/d=0.0156 for M24
and r/d=0.01327 for M33. Thus, it can be seen that the relative
root radius increase as the nominal diameter increases.
r
r
(a) In the case of coarse (b) In the case of fine
Fig.4 Mesh divisions for fine screw threads of M12
r
r
(a) The case of M24 (b) The case of M33
Fig.5 Examples of mesh divisions for M24 and M33
 3. EXPERIMENT
For verification of FEM calculations for the stress
distribution along the root of the screw threads, a strain
measurement was carried out using strain gauges attached to the
root of the screw thread engagement. Figure 6 shows the
positions of strain gauges attached at the roots of screw thread
of M33. Figure 7 shows an experimental setup for applying a
load for the M33 bolt. The M33bolt is inserted in two U-shape
attachments and a compressive load is applied to the two
attachments. The load is measured by a load cell put on the
attachments and the strains are measured with six strain gauges
attached at the root. The gauge length of the strain gauges
(Tokyo Sokki, FLG- 02-11) is 0.2 mm.
(a) Photograph of M33 bolt (b) Dimensions and the position
and strain gauges of attached strain gauges
Fig.6 Attached positions of strain gauges for M33 bolt
Fig. 7 Photograph of experimental setup
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4. FEM RESULTS IN ELASTIC DEFORMATION RANGE
In the previous researches, the value of stress
concentration factor (SCF) was around 3.5 from Hetenyi [1]
which was obtained from two dimensional analyses. Maruyama
[2] carried out the experiments to measure SCF at the roots of
screw threads using Copper Electroplating stress measurement
method and he showed SCF as σ1/σn＝4.5 for M24 bolt, where
the mean stress is obtained using the diameter of the root and
σ1 is the maximum principal stress which is expressed as the
equation, , where σ is the normal stress and τ is
the shear stress in bolts. In the present paper, the elastic FEM
analysis is carried out for M12 bolt and nut (Hexagon head
bolts and hexagon head screws, JIS B 1180[5] ) with the coarse
and the fine screw threads, (Hexagon nuts and hexagon thin
nuts JIS B 1181[6]). Figure 8 shows the normalized maximum
principal stress distributions along the distance z, where σn is
the mean stress for the effective cross sectional area As (the
diameter of the cross section is ds), that is, σn is defined as σn =
(tensile bolt load)/(π/4×ds 2). The ordinate is the distance z
along the screw threads and the abscissa is the normalized
maximum principal stress σ1/σn. The length of screw threads are
21mm, the height of nut is 10.5mm, the engagement length is
from 7.0 to 17.5mm. In Fig.8, the preload Ff is changed such as
20, 40, 60,and 80% of σy. Figure 8(a) is the case of coarse
screw threads of M12 and Fig.8 (b) is case of the fine screw
threads of M12. The maximum value of SCF for the coarse
screw threads of M12 is obtained as 4.0 at the first root in the
engaged screw threads using the nominal bolt diameter d while
it is 4.105 for the fine screw threads of M12. . It is found that
the value of SCF for the fine screw threads of M12 is a little bit
larger than that for the coarse screw threads of M12. The reason
is assumed that the root radius for the fine screw threads is
smaller than that for the coarse screw threads of M12. From the
above comparison of SCF between the fine and the coarse
screw threads, it is assumed that the fatigue strength of M12
with fine screw threads is smaller than that with the coarse
screw threads.
(a) In the case of coarse (b) In the case of fine
Fig. 8 Distributions of normalized maximum principal
stress for coarse and fine screw threads of M12
 In addition, it is shown that the maximum value occurs at
the root of the distance z=7.875mm (1/2 pitch, θ＝180 degree).
The obtained values of SCF are close to the experimental
results from Maruyama [2], however, they are larger than
Hetenyi’s result [1]. The value of the normalized maximum
principal stress decreases as the distance z increases. The
obtained results are well coincided with the conventional
results. The stress distributions are independent of the bolt
preloads because the present FEM analysis is done in the elastic
deformation range.
Figure 9 shows the stress distribution along the roots of
screw threads in elastic range for M24 and M33. Figure 9 (a) is
the case of M24 and Fig.9 (b) is the case of M33. It is found
that the values of SCF are 4.2 for M24 and 4.3 for M33. The (a) In the case of M24 (b) In the case of M33
maximum stress occurs at the first root and half pitch from the
first root for M24 and M33 bolts. From the result, it can be
concluded that the SCF increases as the nominal diameter Fig. 9 Distributions of normalized maximum principal stress
increases. This result corresponds to the fact that the fatigue for M24 and M33 bolts
strength decreases as the bolt nominal diameter increases. Table
1 show the ratio of root radius r to the nominal diameter d and
the values of SCF. It is seen that the root radius r decreases
relatively as the nominal diameter increases. Thus, it can be Table 1 The root radius and the values of SCF for M12, M24
assumed that the value of SCF increases as the nominal and M33
diameter increases. From the result, it can be assumed that the
fatigue strength decreases as the nominal diameter increases due
to the stress concentration at the first root. M12(fine) M12(coarse) M24 M33
r/d 0.0130 0.01825 0.0156 0.01325
SCF 4.1 4.0 4.2 4.3
5. COMPARISON OF STRAIN BETWEEN THE FEM
AND MEASURED RESULTS
Figure 10 shows comparison of strains at the root of M33. :EXP
The abscissa is the distance along the screw threads and the
:FEM
ordinate is the strain when the load is 44.4KN. A discrepancy of 1200
the strain results is seen at the non-engagement (z=7mm).
However, a fairly good agreement is seen between the FEM
Strain [με]

result of strain and the measured results (z=13~17mm).

800

6. RESULTS OF ELASTO-PLASTIC FEM ANALYSIS

From the above results, it is found that the maximum
principal stress reaches a yield stress at the first root of screw 400
thread when the bolt preload is over 35% of bolt yield stress
because the value of SCF is over 4.0. Thus, it is necessary to
carry out the elasto-plastic FEM analysis for the stress state at 0
each root in screw threads as the bolt preload increases. In this 7 10.5 14
chapter, the elasto-plastic FEM analysis is conducted taking Distance Z along screw thread [mm]
account the stress-strain curve of bolt shown in Fig.3 and the
development of plastic deformation region is examined. In the Fig.10 Comparison of strain between the measured
elasto-plastic FEM analyses, the bolt preloads Ff are chosen as and the FEM result
20, 60 and 80 % of the bolt yield stress σy, that is, Ff=0.2σy As,
0.6σy As and 0.8σy ×As, where As is the effective sectional area of
bolts.

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 Figure 11 (b) shows the elasto-plastic stress distributions at
the roots along the threads in the z direction.The ordinate is the
distance z and the abscissa is normalized Mises stress σM/σy,
where σM is Mises’ stress which is expressed by the equation,
, and σy is the bolt yield stress. In the
conventional researches, the maximum principal stress σ1 had
been used because the bolt material was thought to be brittle.
However, recently, the bolt material is assumed to be between
the ductile and the brittle as shown in Fig.3. Thus, Mises
stress is used. The engagement length shows from 7.0 to
17.5mm. The region where the value of σM/σy is over 1.0 means
the plastic deformation zone. In Fig.11 (b), it is found that no
plastic deformation occurs as well as in the elastic FEM
calculations when the bolt preload is 20% of bolt yield stress
(Ff=14kN), however, the maximum value of σM/σy, is 0.83 and a
position is z=7.875mm (1/2 pitch in the first root). In the case of
60% of bolt yield stress (Ff=42kN), the plastic deformation is
observed at the most region in the non-engagement and the
development of the plastic deformation is observed from the
first to the second roots in screw threads, where the position of
first root is z=8.75 and the second is z=10.5mm. From the
results, it is noticed that the maximum value of the normalized
σM/σy occurs at the position of 1/3 pitch (z=7.875mm) in the z
direction.
(a) Contour figure of Mises (b) Normalized Mises sress
Stress around the roots in distributions
screw threads in the case of
Ff=14kN,42kN
Fig.11 Normalized Mises stress distributions
along the distance z in elasto-plastic FEM
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Figure 12 shows the values of Mises stress at the roots in
the threads in z direction in the case of 80% yield stress
(Ff=52kN). The ordinate is the distance z, and the abscissa is
normalized Mises stress σM/σy. In the case of 80% of bolt yield
stress, the plastic zone is extended to the third root in screw
threads and the normalized Mises stress σM/σy increases in the
first root in screw threads. It is also found that it increases at the
non-engagement region. The maximum value of σM/σy occurs
sometimes close to the roots of screw threads, where the bolt
yield stress is 840MPa. It is shown that the plastic zone is
extended from the first root to the third root as well as the screw
threads in the non-engagement. As the results, it is found that
the plastic deformation occurs at the roots of screw threads in
the initial clamping with lower bolt preloads (the bolt initial
clamping stress is over 35% of bolt yield stress). It is also found
that as the bolt preload increases the plastic zone increases at
the roots in screw threads as well as at the screw threads in non-
engagement. Thus, it can be assumed that the bearing forces at
each screw thread change when the plastic deformations occur
at the roots of screw threads.
N
u
t
(a) Contour figure of Mises (b) Normalized Mises stress
stress around the root in the distributions
screw threads in the case of
Ff=56kN
Fig. 12 Normalized Mises stress distributions in
all cases
 6.1 THE STRESS DISTRIBUTIONS AT THE ROOTS OF
SCREW THREADS WHEN AN EXTERNAL TENSILE
LOADING IS APPLIED
The elasto-plastic stress distributions at the roots of screw
threads are analyzed when external tensile loadings are applied

Distance Z along screw thread [mm]

to the joint, where the bolt preload Ff is 0.6σy As. The external
tensile loads W are the same as the bolt preload with 40 and
60% of yield stress, that is, W=0.4σyAs and 0.6σyAs. The external
tensile load is applied as shown in Fig.2. Figure 13 shows the
contour figure of stress in the initial clamping state with
Ff=0.6σy As and Fig.14 shows the contour when the external
load W=0.6σy As is applied. Figure 15 shows the stress
distributions σM in the z direction obtained from the elasto-
plastic FEM analysis. The ordinate is the distance z along the
spiral distance and the abscissa is Mises stress σM. The distance
z from 7.0mm to 17.5mm is in the engagement. From the
comparison between the contours of Fig.13 and Fig.14, the 135MPa
stress increases at the screw threads in the non-engagement. It is
found in Fig.15 that the maximum value of σM occurs at the
position of 1/2 pitch of the first root in screw thread when the
external tensile loading is applied. This result is the same as the
results obtained from the elastic and the elastro-plastic FEM. In σM [Mpa]
addition, it is observed that the difference in the stress between
the initial clamping state and the state when the external load is Fig. 15 Mises stress distribution along the screw
applied is maximal around the first root, where the stress thread in the case of an external tensile
amplitude in this case is 135 MPa as shown in Fig.15. Thus, it load is applied
can be assumed that the fatigue crack initiates from the first root
in screw threads, that is, the fracture surface is the first root
even if the stress at the first root exceeds the yield stress in
initial clamping.
Figure 16 shows photographs of a fractured bolts where
the first root is ruptured due to fatigue. The bolt preload is
tightened in the elastic deformation range, that is, the bolt
preload is 0.2Asσy for one bolt and the other is tightened in
elasto-plastic region, that is, the bolt preload is 0.6 Asσy. The
FEM results on the initiation of fatigue crack are coincided with
the experimental fractured surface.

(a) In the case of M12 (b) In the cases of M10 (left)

and M8(right)

Fig. 16 Photograph of fractured bolt under

Fig.13 Contour figure of Mises repeated loadings
Fig.14 Contour figure of Mises
stress in initial clamping stress when an external
state tensile load is applied

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 (a) the case of initial clamping (b) W (=0.2σy・As) (c) W (=0.4σy・As) (d) W (=0.6σy・As) (e) W (=0.8σy・As)
(Ff=0.6σy・As)

Fig.17 Contour figures of stress distributions of bolts in joints under tensile loadings

(a) In the case of M12 (b) In the cases of M10 (left) and M8(right)

Fig. 18 Photograph of ruptured bolt under static tensile loading

Figure 17 shows the contour figures of deformation in the
screw threads when external loads W is applied to the joint such
as W=0.2σy As, 0.4σy As, 0.6σy As and 0.8σy As, where the bolt
preload Ff is Ff=0.6σy As. The deformation is enlarged 5 times
for the actual deformation. It is found that the deformation of
screw thread in the non-engagement increases as the external
loading W increases. Thus, it can be assumed that a bolt rupture
in bolted joints under static tensile loadings occurs from the
screw threads in the non-engagement. Figure18 shows examples
of bolt rupture under static tensile loading. One is M8 and the
other bolt is M12. It is observed that two bolts are ruptured
from the screw thread in the non- engagement. The FEM results
of the bolt rupture under static tensile loadings is coincided with
the experimental result.
As the results, it can be concluded that when the external
load W is applied in the range where W is less than Ff and the
stress amplitude is over the fatigue stress for the bolt, the
fatigue crack initiates from the first root in screw thread in the
engagement. In addition, under static tensile loadings, the
rupture occurs at the screw threads in the non-engagement. The
types of bolt rupture are different between the static loadings
and the repeated loadings.
7. CONCLUSIONS
In the present paper, three dimensional FEM stress
analysis was carried out for bolted joints under tensile loadings
taking into the spiral of screw threads. At first, the stress
distributions at the roots of screw threads in initial clamping
state were examined and the stress concentration factor (SCF)
was obtained in an elastic deformation range. The effects of

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 some factors (the nominal diameter d and the screw type
(difference between the fine and the coarse screw threads) on
SCF were examined. The stress distributions in bolts were also
examined in elastro-plastic deformation range. In addition, the
stress distributions were also examined when external tensile
loadings were applied to the bolted joints. The obtained results
are summarized as follows.
1) The stress distributions at the roots of screw threads (M12,
JIS) in initial clamping were analyzed using elastic FEM. The
effect of the bolt preload was examined on the stress
distributions. It was found that the maximum principal stress
occurred at the distance of 1/2 pitch (z=7.875mm, θ=180
degree) in the first root independent of the bolt preload. In
addition, the stress concentration factor (SCF) for M12
obtained from the present study was obtained as 4.0. This
result was found to be a little bit smaller but close to
Maruyama’s result (M24) and to be larger than Hetenyi’s
result.
2) The effect of difference between the coarse and the fine
screw threads of M12 on the value of SCF was examined. It
was found that the value of SCF for the fine screw threads of
M12 was a little bit larger than that for the coarse screw
threads of M12. The reason is assumed that the root radius r
is smaller for the fine screw threads of M12 than that for the
coarse screw threads of M12.
3) The effect of nominal diameter d on the value of SCF was
examined for M12, M24 and M33 bolts. It was observed that
the value of SCF increased with an increase of nominal
diameter d. The reason is assumed that the relative root
radius r/d increased as the nominal diameter d increased.
4) A strain measurement at the root along screw threads of M33
was carried out newly using tiny strain gauges with 0.2 mm
gauge length. The measured results of the strains at the root
of screw thread were fairly coincided with the FEM result
while the error between the measurement and FEM results
were about 30%.
5) Also, the elasto-plastic FEM analysis was carried out for the
bolted joint in initial clamping state. The effect of bolt
preload was examined on the stress distributions at the roots
of screw thread in the engagement. It was found that the
stress distribution was in elastic deformation when the bolt
preload was 0.2σy As, however, when the bolt preloads Ff
were chosen as Ff =0.6σy As and 0.8σy As, the plastic
deformations occurred. When the bolt preload is 35% of the
bolt yield stress in the present paper, the plastic deformation
is found to occur. It is noticed that the plastic deformation
should be taken into account when bolts are clamped with
higher bolt preloads.
9 Copyright © 2015 by ASME
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6) When external loadings were applied to the bolted joint, the
stress distributions at the roots of screw threads were
examined. As the external loadings increased the deformation
of bolt at the non-engagement increased. In addition, the
deformation (strain) increased from the non-engagement
while the deformation increased at the roots of screw threads
in the engagement. However, the deformation at the screw
thread in the non-engagement was larger than that in the
engagement. Thus, it was assumed that a rupture occurred
from the screw thread in the non-engagement under static
tensile loadings. This result was coincided with the
experimental result.
7) When an external tensile loading was applied, the maximum
stress occurred at the first root of screw thread in the
engagement. As the bolt preload increased the plastic
deformation extended at the roots of screw threads in the
engagement. However, when a repeated load was applied, it
was shown that a fatigue fracture occurred from the first
root of screw thread in the engagement because the
amplitude of repeated load was maximal at the first root in
the screw threads. This result was confirmed with the
experimental result.
REFERENCES
[1] M. Hetenyi: A Photoelastic Study of Bolt and Nut Fastening,
J. Appl. Mech., Trans. ASME,10,2(1943)A-93
[2] Maruyama,K., Stress Analysis of a Bolt-Nut Joint by the
Finite Element Method and the Copper-Electroplating
Method : 2nd Report, Stress at the Root of a Bolt Thread
under a Tensile Load, Transactions of the Japan Society of
Mechanical Engineers, Vol.39,No.324(1973),pp.2340-2349.
[3] Fukuoka, T., Nomura, M. and Morimoto, Y., Proposition of
Helical thread Modeling with Accurate Geometry and Finite
Element Analysis, Transactions of the Japan Society of
Mechanical Engineers, Series A, Vol.72, No723 (2006),
pp.1639-1645.
[4] Sawa, S., Omiya, Y., Ishimura, M., Sawa, T., 3-D FEM
Stress Analysis of Screw Threads in Bolted Joints under
Static Tensile Loadings, Proceeding the ASME 2014,
IMECE2014-38089(2014)(CD-R).
[5] JIS B 1180, “Hexagon head bolts and hexagon head
screws”, Japanese Industrial Standards, (2009)
[6] JIS B 1181, “Hexagon nuts and hexagon thin nuts”,
Japanese Industrial Standards, (2004)