Bolted flange joints are widely used to connect pressure vessels and piping equipment together and facilitate their disassembly. Initial tightening of their bolts is a delicate operation because it is extremely difficult to achieve the target load and uniformity due to elastic interaction. The risk of failure due to leakage and fatigue under service loading is consequently increased. This paper presents a study on the effect of elastic interaction that is present during the tightening of bolted flange joints using three-dimensional nonlinear finite-element modeling and experimentation. The nonlinear nonelastic behavior of the gasket is taken into account in the numerical simulation. The scatter in bolt preload produced during the tightening sequence is evaluated. Based on the elastic interaction coefficient method, the initial target tightening load in each bolt for every pass is determined by using the nonlinear finite-element model to obtain a uniform preload after the final tightening pass. The validity of the finite-element analysis (FEA) is supported by experimental tests conducted on a NPS 4 class 900 weld neck bolted flange joints using fiber and flexible graphite gaskets. This study provides guidance and enhances the safety and reliability of bolted flange joints by minimizing bolt load scatter due to elastic interaction.
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April 2017
Research-Article
Numerical and Experimental Study of Elastic Interaction in Bolted Flange Joints
Linbo Zhu,
Linbo Zhu
State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: chdyuhan@stu.xjtu.edu.cn
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: chdyuhan@stu.xjtu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid,
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid
Professor
Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Ecole de Technologie Superieure,
1100 Notre-Dame Ouest,
Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
e-mail: hakim.bouzid@etsmtl.ca
Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Ecole de Technologie Superieure,
1100 Notre-Dame Ouest,
Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
e-mail: hakim.bouzid@etsmtl.ca
Search for other works by this author on:
Jun Hong
Jun Hong
State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: jhong@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: jhong@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Linbo Zhu
State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: chdyuhan@stu.xjtu.edu.cn
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: chdyuhan@stu.xjtu.edu.cn
Abdel-Hakim Bouzid
Professor
Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Ecole de Technologie Superieure,
1100 Notre-Dame Ouest,
Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
e-mail: hakim.bouzid@etsmtl.ca
Fellow ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Ecole de Technologie Superieure,
1100 Notre-Dame Ouest,
Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
e-mail: hakim.bouzid@etsmtl.ca
Jun Hong
State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: jhong@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Systems Engineering,
Xi'an Jiaotong University,
Xi'an 710049, China
e-mail: jhong@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Contributed by the Pressure Vessel and Piping Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSEL TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received May 17, 2016; final manuscript received November 4, 2016; published online January 11, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Reza Adibiasl.
J. Pressure Vessel Technol. Apr 2017, 139(2): 021211 (7 pages)
Published Online: January 11, 2017
Article history
Received:
May 17, 2016
Revised:
November 4, 2016
Citation
Zhu, L., Bouzid, A., and Hong, J. (January 11, 2017). "Numerical and Experimental Study of Elastic Interaction in Bolted Flange Joints." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. April 2017; 139(2): 021211. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035316
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