Numerical investigation of bolt fitting and fastening forces by elastoplastic finite element analysis

Abstract

The bolt–flange fitting and detaching processes are numerically investigated by the updated Lagrangian elastoplastic finite element analysis. The elastoplastic behavior of the flange is modeled by the power-law plastic model with the isotropic strain hardening, while assuming the bolt to be rigid by virtue of the big difference in the material stiffness between bolt and flange. Through the parametric numerical analyses of the bolt–flange fitting and detaching processes with respect to the shape of the bolt cross-section, the characteristics of the bolt fitting and fastening forces are investigated. The validity of the simplified 2-D axisymmetric finite element model is examined through the comparison with the numerical results obtained by 3-D full finite element model. As well, the effects of the bolt petal number on these forces are investigated, and the experiment is performed to verify the numerical simulation.