A Bolt-Nut Loosening Mechanism in Bolted Connections Under Repeated Transverse Loadings (Effect of Inclined Bearing Surfaces on the Loosening)

Abstract

Loosening accidents sometimes occur under several types of loadings such as winds, vibrations, earthquakes, impact loads and thermal changes. Recently, some studies have been conducted on the screw thread loosening in bolted joints under repeated transverse loadings. It is well known that bolted joints are easily loosened when repeated transverse loadings are applied. While, in assembling bolted joints, the contact surfaces between a bolt head/nut and a clamped part are inclined geometrically. However, a lot of researches have dealt with the bolted joints in which the bearing surfaces are perfectly contacted without the inclined surfaces. Thus, it is necessary to examine the incline of the bearing surfaces on the loosening in bolted joint. A lot of parts for preventing the loosening have been proposed and sold at market. Among these parts, the authors have demonstrated that eccentric nuts are especially expected to be the solution for preventing the loosening of the joints under repeated transverse loadings. However, a few studies have been carried out on the loosening and loosening mechanism in bolted joints with inclined bearing surface and the effective solution for preventing loosening of bolted joint with the inclined bearing surfaces under the repeated transverse loadings. Thus, it is necessary to examine the effect of the incline at the bearing surfaces on the loosening and to evaluate the solutions for preventing loosening of the bolted joints with the inclined bearing surfaces. In this study, the effect of the incline at the bearing surfaces on the loosening is examined using FEM calculations. In the FEM calculations, the incline angle at the bearing surfaces is changed as 0, 2 and 3 degree, respectively. The experiments to measure the loosening in bolted joints were carried out using Junker’s testing machine to validities of the FEM calculations for revealing the effect of the loosening in the joints with the inclined bearing surfaces. In addition, nut parts for preventing the loosening in bolted connections with the inclined bearing surface under repeated transverse loadings are examined using the FEM calculations. As the result, it is seen that the loosening increases as the angle of incline increases. In addition, it is observed that bolted joints in which almost nut parts for preventing loosening are applied are loosened easily while the eccentric nut does not loosened. Discussion is made on the loosening mechanism in bolted joints under repeated transverse loadings.