Journal of Engineerinl( and Applied ScieflCl's, Vol. 1, pp. 17-27, 1981 0191-9539/81/010017-11$02.

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Printed in the USA. All rights reserved. Copyright i: 1981 Pergamon Press Ltd.

STIFFNESS OF BOLTED JOINTS

A. K. ABD EL-LATlF* and H. H. ZIADA

King Abdulaziz University. P.O. Box 1540
Jeddah. Saudi Arabia

Abstract - Determination of joint stiffness has not been satisfactorily treated analytically
until now. Careful analysis of the various forms developed from an experimental or theoreti-
cal basis show that these forms do not agree nor yield comparable acceptable results. This
reveals that many of the quantitative relations are expressed on the basis of analogy and on
intuition rather than on well-established natural laws. The finite element analysis performed
by the authors and many others for load and pressure distribution of bolted joints has proved
its suitability for such investigations. The effort area and joint stiffness, as affected by joint
plate thickness and diameter and bolt head size. were studied by using the finite element
technique. Results of this analysis show that for equal plate thickness, the effort area
increases with the increase in joint diameter. Also the joint stiffness increases and reaches a
constant value at Did,. 3.75. The joint stiffness decreases as the thickness of the joint
increases to approach a constant value. The bolt head diameter has a pronounced effect on
the joint stiffness. It increases as the bolt head or nut diameter increases.

INTRODUCTION

Many trials have been carried out recently [1,2] to determine the stress distribution
in bolted and riveted joints and also the joint stiffness, which is of extreme impor-
tance in the design of such joints. Determination of joint stiffness has not been
satisfactorily treated analytically until now. forcing many designers to handle it
experimentally, since the known theories do not confirm the test results.
Boenick [3] was the first to measure the pressure distribution in the joint, using the
freezing technique of the photoelastic analysis. From experimental results on steel
specimens, Fritsche [3] yields a different expression. Danilow [4] carried out exper-
iments on joints made of organic glass material and developed another form. Simi-
larly Weiss and Wallner [4] suggested, through experiments, a more simple expres-
sion.
Roetscher [4] assumed that the material of joints affected by tightening or loading
conditions can be enveloped by two frustrum cones, then replaced by an equivalent
cylinder of equal sectional area. Birger [4] suggested decreasing the cone angle and
determining the joint stiffness by integration. On the same principle Ten-Bosch,
Bach, and Findeisen [4] obtained the joint stiffness from assumed deformation cones
by integration.

'On leave from Assiut University, Egypt.

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