BEHAVIOUR OF BOLTED CIRCULAR FLANGE JOINTS

SUBJECTED TO A BENDING MOMENT AND AN AXIAL FORCE

Mal Couchaux
CTICM, France
mcouchaux@cticm.com

Mohammed Hjiaj
INSA of Rennes, France
mohammed.hjiaj@insa-rennes.fr

Ivor Ryan
Consultant, France
ivorryan@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Bolted circular flange connections are used for tubular members in buildings
as well as in structures such as chimneys and pylons for lighting, communication,
wind turbines and ski-lift installations. In this paper, a model is proposed for the de-
termination of the global behaviour (elastic and elasto-plastic) of bolted circular
flange connections subjected to a bending moment combined with an axial tensile or
compressive force. Particularly, a model, based on the component method and quite
similar to that of Eurocode 3 part 1-8, is proposed to determine the rotational stiff-
ness. A parametric study was performed based on a 3D finite element model con-
sidering elasto-plastic material behaviour and using contact elements. The results
obtained from the proposed analytical model are in good agreement with those ob-
tained from the finite element model.

1. INTRODUCTION
Most of the existing models permit to determine the tensile capacity of bolted
circular flange joint connections (Igarashi et al, 1985, Couchaux et al, 2010). Stama-
topoulos & Ermopoulos (2008) proposed to evaluate the plastic bending resistance
of these joints using an incremental procedure. The possible occurrence of a non
ductile failure mode or the development of an elasto-plastic regime has been consid-
ered by Couchaux et al (2011). The strength of a joint plays an important in design.
However, its stiffness can have an important impact on the global behaviour of the
structure. A model has been proposed by Kozlowski & Wojnar (2008) to determine
the rotational stiffness of these joints but the calculation method involves an iterative
procedure and is not easy to directly apply. The objective of this paper is to propose
a model which allows a full characterization of the complete behaviour of this type of
joints, and particularly the moment rotation curve. As suggested in EN 1993-1-8, the
moment rotation curve is evaluated via two essential characteristics of the joint; the
bending resistance and the initial rotational stiffness. The bending resistance of joint
is evaluated considering the possibility of the development of a fully plastic mecha-
nism or an elasto-plastic regime (Couchaux et al, 2011). The initial rotational stiff-
ness is determined considering the component method. The results obtained via this
analytical model are compared with those of numerical analyses.
 2. ANALYTICAL MODEL: MOMENT-ROTATION CURVE

2.1 Initial rotation stiffness of the joint

2.1.1. General hypothesis

The cross-section located at the junction between the tube-wall and the flange
is supposed to remain plane after loading (see Figure 1). This cross-section is sub-
jected to a rotation j. The interaction between the flange and the tube-wall is mod-
eled considering springs positioned along the circumference of the tube. Their stiff-
ness is different in compression and in tension. The distribution of the forces applied
by the tube-wall to the flange is linear in both compression and tension.
y

R
Rb
z

Rf

N j
N
Mj ft Mj

kt

z kc
fc

Compressive zone Tensile zone

Compressive zone Tensile zone

Figure 1. Deformation of the joint with a dominant bending moment

Considering the plane cross-section assumption, the displacement of the
flange at the junction with the tube-wall (see Figure 1) can be expressed as follows:
cos cos
c 1 cos when 0
( ) = (1)
cos cos when
t cos + 1
where c is the maximum displacement in the compressive zone ( = 0), the angle
defining the position of the neutral axis and t the maximum displacement in the ten-
sile zone ( = ).
The displacement t and c can be expressed as function of the rotation j of
the joint:
t = R (1 + cos ) j (2)
c = R (1 cos ) j (3)
The relation between the force per unit length and the displacement is:
f ( ) = k ( ) (4)
where k is stiffness coefficient per unit length; equal to kt in the tensile zone and kc in
the compressive zone, respectively.

Therefore, the force applied by the tube-wall to the flange is given by:
cos cos
fc 1 cos when 0
f ( ) = (5)
f cos cos when
t
cos + 1
Finally, two of behavior modes are possible for the joint:
The bending moment is dominant and both a compressive and tensile
zone develops at the junction between the tube-wall and the flange. It is
therefore necessary to determine the position of the neutral axis, which
depends on the loading and the relative rigidity of the tensile and com-
pressive parts of the joint,
The axial force is dominant and the joint is completely in compression or
in tension.
The initial rotational stiffness, Sj,ini, is defined as the ratio of the bending mo-
ment divided by the rotation:
Mj
S j,ini = (6)
j
This stiffness will be determined respectively in paragraph 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 for
both cases described above.

2.1.2. Position of the neutral axis for a dominant bending moment

If the bending moment is dominant, the stress distribution comprises a com-
pressive zone and a tensile zone as indicated in Figure 1. Considering relation (5),
the axial forces generated by the compressive and the tensile stresses are given by:
sin + ( ) cos
Ft,tot = 2Rft (7)
1 + cos
sin cos
Fc,tot = 2Rfc (8)
1 cos
The equilibrium along the tube axis gives:
Fc,tot = N + Ft,tot (9)
The bending moments generated by the compressive and tensile stresses,
respectively, are given by:
2R 2fc cos sin
M j,c =
1 cos 2 R cos Fc,tot (10)

2R 2ft + cos sin
M j,t =
1 + cos 2 + R cos Ft,tot (11)

The total bending moment Mj reads:
M j = M j,t + M j,c + NR cos (12)
Finally, the bending moment has the following expression:
R cos N
Mj = + R 2 [fc (1 + cos ) + ft (1 cos )( )] (13)
2
 The previous expression depends on the angle , which can be determined
(Couchaux, 2010) via the following equation:
1 sin 2 [ + mk ( )]
= cos + (14)
sin cos mk ( sin + ( ) cos )
NR k
where = , mk = t .
2M j kc

Due to the fact that is comprised between 0 and , the relation (13) is valid
when the absolute value of is less than 1. For other value of , the flange is com-
pletely in tension ( -1), or completely in compression ( 1).

2.1.3. Initial Rotational stiffness: dominant bending moment

When the bending moment is dominant, combining (2), (3), (4) and (5) yields
to:
ft = k t R (1 + cos ) j (15)
fc = kc R (1 cos ) j (16)

Considering relations (13), (15) and (16), the bending moment applied by the
tube to the flange is:
sin 2
M j = jR 3 ( k t k c ) + k t (17)
2
Thus the initial rotational rigidity of the joint is:
sin 2
S j,ini = R 3 (k t k c ) + k t (18)
2
This formulation depends on the angle , which is obtained from equation (14)
and is comprised between 0 and . Outside this range, the axial force is dominant
and the joint is completely in tension or completely in compression.

2.1.4. Initial Rotational stiffness : dominant axial force

When the axial force is dominant, the stiffness is the same along the circum-
ference of the joint and is equal to kt or kc. The rotation is directly related to the dis-
placement of the flange due to the bending moment.
Considering the plane cross-section assumption, the displacement is given
by (see Figure 2):
( ) = jd ( ) = jR cos
(19)
Thus, the bending moment can be obtained via relations (4) and (19):
/2
Mj = 4
0
f ( )d ( )Rd = kR 3 j
(20)
The initial rotational stiffness is:
S j,ini = kR 3
(21)
 y

R
z

Deformation of the flange near the tube-wall

Mj f

j

Figure 2. Deformation of the flange due to the bending moment

2.2 Rigidity of the compressive part

The stiffness of the compressive component corresponds to the ratio of the

force applied by the tube-wall to the flange, fc, and the displacement of the flange c.
Kozlowski & Wojnar (2006) proposed a formulation based on a parametrical study
for three type of welds. A theoretical solution is proposed here for full penetration
butt welds (see Figure 3.a).

(a) Full penetration butt weld (b) Fillet welds

Figure 3. Welds configurations
The opposite flanges in contact are modeled via the beam model proposed by
Couchaux et al (2009). Stamatopoulos & Ermopoulos (2008) studied a flange sub-
jected to a compression when the yield strength is reached at the tube-wall and pro-
posed a form of the contact pressure base on numerical analysis:
p( x ) = p1 when t t 2 x t t 2
c + tt 2 - x
p( x ) = p1 when t t 2 x c + t t 2
c
These expressions of the contact pressure will be considered to simplify the
analytical expressions and c (0,98tf) will be considered equal to tf.
 fc

tt

z
c pt

w x tf
u

p1
tf

Figure 4. L-stub in compression

Hence, if the flange in contact with a rigid support is modeled via the me-
chanical model of Couchaux et al (2009), its transversal displacement, w, is:
1 z2 z 4 ( pt p1 ) pt z 6 M ( x )z 2
w ( x, z ) = 2 z 3 + 2 + w0 ( x )
4 tf tf3 E E Et f3
where M(x) is the bending moment per unit length in the flange, w0(x) the transversal
displacement at z = 0 and:
tf 3
w0 (x ) =
32E
[13 p1 + 3 pt ] + 2Et M(x)
f
Hence the stiffness is:
fc fc (2t + 1)
kc = = =E t (22)
c w (0, t f / 2) 2t + 1/ 2
tt
where t = .
tf
The application of the present model to fillet welds (see Figure 3.b) is not pos-
sible because the compression is transmitted by the two fillet welds. A formulation
based on the numerical results of Kozlowski & Wojnar (2006) is proposed:
kc = 100 [ln t + 6] (23)

2.3 Stiffness of the tensile part

The stiffness of the tensile component corresponds to the ratio of the force
applied by the tube-wall to the flange, ft, and the displacement of the flange t. Two
type of component can be considered depending on the flanges:
Half a T-stub model for one bolt in presence of blank flange, the formulation of
EN 1993-1-8 can be used,
An L-stub model in presence of a ring flange. The flange is modelled via beam
and is either in contact with the adjacent flange over a certain distance, e2-
, or simply in contact at the free edge (see Figure 5).
 It has been proposed by Couchaux et al (2010) to directly determine this
separation length:
R,0
= e2 e2 (24)
R
where Lb is the tensile bolt length, calculated via EN 1993-1-8, nb the number of
bolts, As the cross section area of one bolt.
3
e1 As 2 R e e +1
R = 4 , pb = , R,0 = 2 1 3 .
t L
f b bp nb (e2 e1 )

FT FT
e2 e1 tf

Q n

(a) Ponctual contact, = e2 (b) Surface contact, e2

Figure 5. Contact configurations for L-stub
When obtained via relation (24) is less than e2, the flange is clamped at the
end of the contact zone and the stiffness per unit length is:
1 1
kt =
l eff ( + e1 ) 2 (2 + 3e1 )
3
(25)

3EIf 6EIf
where leff is the effective length calculated via EN 1993-1-8.
n + e1 l t3
= , If = eff f .
n 12

On the contrary, when the length is equal to e2 the flange is simply in con-
tact with his free edge and the stiffness is thus:
1 1
kt = 2
l eff Lb e1 e12 (e1 + e2 ) (26)
1 + +
2EAs e2 3EIf

2.4 Moment rotation curve

The moment-rotation curve is defined as proposed in EN 1993-1-8 via the
bending resistance and the initial rotational stiffness. The initial rotational stiffness is
determined via expressions (18) and (21) given in paragraph 2.1. The bending resis-
tance is determined via the model of Couchaux et al (2011) which consider two fail-
ure modes, ductile and non-ductile.
The constitutive law of the moment-rotation curve is:
S j,ini j when 0 M j 2M j,pl /3

Mj = 1 (27)
S j,ini j (2M j,pl 3) +1 when 2M j,pl /3 M j M j,pl

 Mj

Mj,pl

2Mj,pl/3

Experimental/Numerical

Analytical
Sj,ini
j

Figure 6. Analytical and experimental curve

In EN 1993-1-8, the value of is equal to 2,7 for bolted flange joints. The
bolted circular flange joints can be classified in this category. However this formula-
tions lead to an overestimation of the rotation capacity when the failure mode is non
ductile (buckling just after the elastic range). Thus a value of equal to 1 is consid-
ered for non ductile failure modes.

3. Confrontation to experimental and numerical results

3.1. Numerical model

A numerical model has been developed (Couchaux et al 2011) to carry out a
parametric study and to complete the available experimental results (Yamaguchi
1996, and Jakubowski, 2003). The numerical model was built using the Finite ele-
ment code ANSYS V11.0 with contact and brick elements. Due to symmetry, just an
half of the connection is studied. A symmetry plane cut the joint and a rotation is ap-
plied.

Figure 7. Finite element model

3.2. Comparison of analytical and numerical results

The curve calculated by the analytical model for joint M1, M8, M9 and INSA
(joint tested in INSA of Rennes) are compared against those obtained by numerical
or experimental tests. The initial rotational stiffness is well approach by the analytical
model.

M1 M8

M9 INSA

Figure 8. Moment-rotation curves

For joint M9, the initial rotational stiffness is clearly underestimated. The thick-
ness of the flange is thin and equal to 10 mm in this case. The stiffness of the tensile
area, kt, is evaluated without the consideration of the influence of the tube-wall which
have a certain influence for thinner flanges. Furthermore, the hypothesis of planar
motion of the flange is not so adequate when the flange is thin.

4. CONCLUSION

An analytical model has been proposed in the present paper to derive the
moment-rotation curve of a bolted circular flange joint which can be calculated via
the initial rotational stiffness and the bending resistance (Couchaux et al, 2011). A
model, based on the component method, is proposed to determine the initial rota-
tional stiffness. A coefficient of rigidity is evaluated for the compression area which
could be used for different joint configurations. The results are compared with those
of the numerical and experimental tests and quite good agreements are obtain. The
rotational stiffness is underestimated in presence of thin flange. Finally, the present
model could be applied to determine the initial rotation stiffness of circular base plate
joint.
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