Threaded Fasteners Seminar:

Preload Loss and

Vibration Loosening
Jeff Jungmann,
Spiralock Corporation

Fastener Selection
hUnderdesigned or overdesigned?
hToo small can be disastrous
hToo large adds weight, cost
hNot just size, but strength
hMaterial, property class, plating, friction

hCorrect selection requires understanding of joint

behavior
hInteraction of loads and deflections
hJoint response to mechanical & thermal loads, vibration

hHow to optimize joint for application?

2

Paper #

Joint Loading Axial

hConcentric
hStress = Force/Tensile Area
hHow much load carried by bolt?
hStatic or dynamic force?
hBolt geometry has stress concentrations
hHigh stress areas more prone to failures
hFatigue
hHydrogen embrittlement
hStress corrosion cracking
3

Paper #

Joint Loading Axial

hEccentric: Bending Moment
hNon-linear behavior
hMating surfaces can separate (gapping)
hCritical! Bolt carries entire load

hSeverity influenced by several factors:

hStiffness of fastened member
hBolt hole clearance
hBolt head diameter
hGrip length very critical, longer is better
4

Paper #

Joint Loading Shear

hBolts typically not intended to
handle lateral loads
hFriction type

hDesign for clamp load to exceed slip load

hOften designed with multiple fasteners

hBearing type

hDirect load transfer between fastener and hole

hShoulder bolts
hLoad limit is shear strength of bolt threads
5

Paper #

Joint Loading Torsional

hSolely a condition during tightening

Tb
hCombination of torsion and axial load
Tt
hTorsional preload is minimal, but relaxation occurs
directly after release of tool
hVery little torque energy goes to stretch the bolt
h50% lost to nut face
h40% lost to friction in threads
h10% creates load in pitch causing bolt to stretch

hIn many cases, fasteners see more strenuous

loading during installation than in service
6

Paper #

Joint Loading Thermal

hFastener loads change as operating
temperature changes
hRegardless of external load!

hDissimilar metals = different rates of thermal

expansion
hWhen joint materials move more rapidly than
the fastener:
hCooling contraction causes loss of preload
hHeating expansion causes embedment, greater
tensile stress
7

Paper #

Joint Loading Combined Effects

hKey considerations:

hFatigue limit - Goodman Diagram

hLimit alternating loads

hAxial load decreases force holding members

together
hNeed to determine neutral axis of joint to
analyze combined loads
hDecouple loads and resolve into x and y
components
8

Paper #

Preferred Failure Mode

hBolts and nuts of equal grades designed to
have bolt fracture before nut strips
hVisible failure
hFemale threads always a compromise:
hEnough ductility to permit thread deflection
hSufficient strength to prevent stripped threads

hUse of softer materials requires length

correction for engagement
9

Paper #

Estimating Fastener Diameter

10

Paper #

Joint Diagram
h Tightening sets up stress and strain in bolt & joint members
h Bolt length increases more than joint compresses
Force

Joint
compression
line

Compression
Joint thickness @
zero stress

Bolt
extension
line

Extension

11

Bolt length @
zero stress
Paper #

Selecting Preload as % of Yield

%

Applications, important factors

100

Must know in-service loads; critical joints

85-95

Needs highly accurate installation method

65-75

Majority of fastener applications

50-60

Pressure vessels

35-40

Gasketed joints

10-20

Fastener serves as shear pin or positive stop

12

Paper #

Hard Joint vs. Soft Joint

hHard Joint
hHigh preload
hFatigue resistant
hAssembly more rigid than fastener
hCan see large swings in joint tension
Force
Bolt
preload

Bolt Stretch

13

Joint
Compression

Extension
Paper #

How Much Load Carried by Bolt?

hAdding load to bolt decreases clamping
force on joint
hBolt in a hard joint carries only a small
fraction of additional load
Force
Applied
Force, F

Bolt Stretch

14

Joint
Compression

Extension
Paper #

Hard Joint vs. Soft Joint

hSoft Joint
hGasketed and noncritical joints
hFastener is more rigid than assembly
hBolt takes majority of applied load
hJoint member compression may be non-linear
Force
Non-linear
behavior

Bolt Stretch

15

Joint
Compression

Extension
Paper #

How Much Load Carried by Bolt?

hBolt in a soft joint carries a larger
percentage of additional force
hRisk of fastener moving from elastic
region into yield
Force

Bolt Stretch

16

Applied
Force, F

Joint
Compression

Extension
Paper #

Separation Load
hPoint where external load reduces clamp
force to zero
hAny additional increase in load is carried
100% by the bolt
hDangerous!
Force

Bolt Stretch

Joint
17
Compression

Extension
Paper #

Joint Preload
hThree major sources of most fastener issues
hIncorrect clamp load for application
hService loads exceed design loads

hAssembly or service process causes large

deviations in clamp load
hPreload scatter

hLoss of clamp load in service

hRelaxation
hEnvironmental factors
hSelf-loosening
18

Paper #

Preload Relaxation
hSeveral possible sources of deformation
hExceed pressure limits of contact areas
hGaskets
hApproach bolt yield

hEmbedment
hPlastic deformation occurs primarily at installation
hRough surfaces, threads, creep in soft materials

hRelaxation dependent on time, temperature,

and vibration
19

Paper #

Preload Relaxation
hEffect of Embedding
h64% in 1st thread; 90% in first three threads

Remaining
preload after
embedment

Bolt Stretch

Joint Compression

Extension

Plastic
deformation
20

Paper #

Environmental Factors
hChange in temperature causes change in length
hCoefficient of thermal expansion for steel is ~1/2
that of aluminum
hTemperature limits of materials:
hCarbon steel starts to anneal at 230 C (450 F)
hStainless steels begin to anneal at 480 C (900 F)
hHeat resistant alloys used in extreme environments

hCorrosion often begins at areas with high stress

concentration

21

Paper #

Mechanism of Self Loosening

hScrew thread is an inclined plane
wrapped around a cylinder
hFriction holds block on plane
hSelf-locking is achieved when coefficient of thread
friction is tangent of thread helix angle
hDynamic friction only 10% of static friction; once
broken free it is easy to move
hVibration forces reduce friction force on threads,
allows fastener to slide in loosening direction
22

Paper #

Effect of Thread Pitch

hMore force needed to pull out fine pitch wedge
hSmaller helix angle improves vibration resistance

Fc

23

Ff

Paper #

Mechanism of Self Loosening

hSeveral mechanisms used to explain self-loosening
hImpact load causes assembly to resonate
hLocalized cyclic plastic deformation, esp. at 1st
engaged thread
hTorsional energy released
hBearing surface slips
hNut rotates in loosening direction
External
Load

Bending
Moment

Contact
Pressure
Variation
24

Micro-Slip
Between
Threads

Rotation
of the Nut

Paper #

Thread Tolerances
hInherent radial clearance to allow free-spinning
assembly
hContributes to thread fit variations
hMotion (slip) permitted when preload is low or
external forces are very high
hAmount of motion limited by thread clearance

25

Paper #

Locking Mechanisms
hAll-metal locknuts
hCotter pins
hNylon inserts
hLock wire
hTri-lobular bolts
hTab lock
hSplit washers
hBelleville washers
hToothed lockwashers hAdhesives
hSerrated nuts
hOpposing ramps
hJam nuts
hTapered threads
hSelf-locking threads
(Spiralock)
26

Paper #

Vibration Loosening Test

hJunkers Test
hCam driven transverse movement
hMost severe condition to accelerate self-loosening
hTreats fastener like it is undersized for application

27

Paper #

Vibration Test Variables

hComparison studies require apples-to-apples
test parameters
hAmplitude, Frequency, Preload, Hole clearance,
Bearing surface

28

Paper #

Vibration Performance

29

Paper #

Vibration Performance

30

Paper #

Vibration Loosening Findings

hMajority of lock features only serve as fail-safe
method to prevent loss of fastener after selfloosening
hWorst condition for loosening is transversal vibration,
10-15 Hz
hNumber of cycles to complete loosening is inversely
proportional to the joint stiffness
hMost effective methods do not rely exclusively on
thread friction, but modify basic joint behavior
hAim to attain a level of initial bolt tension above
which self-loosening does not occur

31

Paper #

Chemical Agents - Adhesives

hLiquid cures in absence of oxygen
hCreates permanent lock and seal by gluing threads
together
hFills gap wherever there is thread clearance
hCan not audit torque after installation
hOnce threads are broken free, must be reapplied

32

Paper #

Opposing Cam Surfaces

hInterposing teeth have greater angle
than lead angle of thread
hCam washers use serrations to grip
bearing surfaces
hNo counter-rotation
hConsistent performance
hAdds extra components to joint
hWont grip hardened surfaces

33

Paper #

Preload Locking Thread Form

hThread form integrated into
hole/fastener no extra parts
hMore even stress distribution
hSelf-centers bolt - no bending stress
hContinuous spiral line of contact
hRadial force 3x greater than
conventional threads
hTakes up all radial clearance
between threads
hFree spinning
34

Wedge Standard 60
ramp
Paper #

Preload Locking Thread Form

hAxial Load vs. Radial Load

Self-locking thread has

3 times the radial locking load

35

Paper #

Preload Loss Prevention Strategies

hDetermine needed clamp load first
hAchieve proper clamp load
hAvoid rough, irregular contact surfaces
hMinimize number of joint elements and materials
hUse longer bolts increase grip length
hMinimize hole clearances
hFine threaded fasteners are more resistant to
vibration than coarse threads
hReduce thread clearance (tighter tolerance fit) to
provide better loosening resistance
hChange mechanical behavior of joint
36

Paper #

References
hBickford, John H. Introduction to the Design and
Behavior of Bolted Joints 1995, Marcel Dekker, Inc.
hBlendulf, Bengt. Fastening Technology &
Bolted/Screwed Joint Design. 2000.
hBolt Science. Vibration Loosening of Bolts and

Threaded Fasteners, Tutorial on Basics of Bolted

Joints. 2008.
hComer, Jess. Threaded Fasteners and the Bolted
Joint. 2004.

hJunker, G.H. New criteria for self-loosening of

fasteners under vibration, 1969, SAE Trans 78:314335.
37

Paper #