COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE

EPMESC X, Aug. 21-23, 2006, Sanya, Hainan, China

©2006 Tsinghua University Press & Springer

Finite Element Analysis for the Metallic Gasket Effective Width

X. Feng *, B. Q. Gu, R. Liu

College of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing, 210009 China

Email: fxsue@163.com, bqgu@njut.edu.cn

Abstract The leakage behavior of bolted flange connections is related to the gasket contact stress. In particular, the
non-uniform distribution of this stress in the radial direction caused by the flange rotational flexibility has a major
influence on the leakage tightness of bolted flange connections. The current ASME flange design rules and the new
ASME proposed design rules addresses this effect by introducing the concept of gasket effective width. In this paper,
the distribution of the contact stress of metallic flat gaskets is investigated using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The
gasket effective width values are obtained when the contact stress distribution, the gasket factor m and the internal
pressure are given. The results indicate that the gasket effective width is mainly influenced by the flange material
and the gasket dimension. The gasket effective width obtained in this paper is smaller than that according to ASME
design rules. The obtained results provided a helpful reference for the design of bolted flange connections.
Key words: the metallic gasket, the gasket effective width, the distribution of the contact pressure, Finite Element
Analysis

INTRODUCTION
The bolted flanged connections with the metallic gaskets are widely used in process equipment operating at
high-temperature, under high-pressure and in corrosion medium, where other types of gaskets are difficult to meet the
sealing demand. With the rapid development of the science and technology, the requirement of the sealing on the
system and equipment becomes much more rigorous. The failure of sealing systems will lead to enormous pecuniary
loss, serious environment pollution and personal injury accident. The failure of bolted flange connections is generally
due to excessive leakage. In particular, the non-uniform distribution of this stress in the radial direction caused by the
flange rotational flexibility [1-3] has a major influence on the leakage tightness of bolted flange connections [4]. The
current ASME flange design rules [5] and the new ASME proposed design rules [6] addresses this effect by
introducing the concept of gasket effective width. However, the validity of the suggested values of the gasket effective
width has not been verified. Its accurate evaluation is very important when predicting leakage and designing the bolted
flange connections.
In this paper, the distribution of the contact stress of the metallic flat gaskets is investigated using Finite Element
Analysis (FEA). The gasket effective width values are obtained when the contact stress distribution, the gasket factor
m and the internal pressure are given. And the effect of the flange material and the gasket dimension on it is studied.

FINITE ELEMENT MODELING

Dimensions of the bolted flanged connection are shown in Fig. 1. The flange is assumed to be perfectly welded to the
pipe. In order to research the influence of the gasket dimension on the gasket effective width, the dimensions of the
gasket are different and given in Table 1. The materials of the flange and the gasket are given in Table 2. A nonlinear
FEA solution is assumed with the elastic perfectly plastic homogenous isotropic materials response for the flange and
the gasket, and their stress-strain curves are shown in Fig. 2.
The bolted flanged connection with the metallic gasket is modeled as a simplified two-dimensional axisymmetric case,
as shown in Fig. 3. The line of symmetry (x axis) is taken with respect to the mid-place of the gasket while the
axisymmetric line (y axis) is taken with respect to the pipe axis. Although the bolted hole is shown in Fig. 1, as first
order approximation, the model is taken to be away from the bolt in the middle between two successive bolts. Such
approximation is common and acceptable for flange and gasket analysis purposes [7].

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 Figure 1: Dimensions of the bolted flanged connection

(a) 0Cr19Ni9 (b) 45 Steel

(c) 20 Steel
Figure 2: Stress-strain curve

Table 1 Dimension of the gaskets

No. Outer Diameter/mm inner Diameter/mm Thickness/mm Width/mm
01 55.0 35.0 3.0 10.0
02 60.0 40.0 3.0 10.0
03 65.0 45.0 3.0 10.0
04 60.6 35.0 3.0 12.8
05 65.6 40.0 3.0 12.8
06 70.6 45.0 3.0 12.8
07 63.0 35.0 3.0 14.0
08 68.0 40.0 3.0 14.0
09 73.0 45.0 3.0 14.0

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 Table 2 Material properties of the flange and the gasket
Part Materials Elastic Modulus/GPa Poisson’s Ratio Yield Strength/MPa
0Cr19Ni9 195 0.30 300
Flange
45 Steel 275 0.30 387
Gasket 20 Steel 190 0.30 267

Fig. 3 also shows the finite element mesh of the connection. All solid elements are assumed to be PLANE42 with four
nodes and two degrees of freedom per node. These elements were treated as axisymmetric elements with respect to
pipe axis. Note the very fine mesh at the gasket and the fine mesh at the stress concentration areas at the extreme ends
of the rim, the rim-hub connection, as shown in Fig. 3. The surface-to-surface contact elements are used to model the
flexible-flexible contact between the gasket and the flange with the gasket as the contact surface. The target surface
element is TARGE169, and the contact surface element is CONTA172.

Figure 3: Analysis model of the flange-gasket connection

Table 3 The parametric values

No. b /mm DG /mm p /MPa WP /N Fb /MPa
01 5.0 45.0 93 611
02 5.0 50.0 105 975
03 5.0 55.0 118 731
04 6.4 47.8 123 601
05 6.4 52.8 10.0 138 602 −21
06 6.4 57.8 153 996
07 6.7 49.6 134 096
08 6.7 54.6 149 756
09 6.7 59.6 165 809
The applied boundary conditions are shown in Fig.3. According to China National Standard GB150-1998, the equation
of the bolted load is given.
π 2
WP = DG p + 2bπDG mp (1)
4
The axial pressure is the end hydrostatic effect due to the presence of the cover to the piping system like a blind flange,
and the equation of the axial load is given.
Di2
Fb = − p (2)
D02 − Di2
According to equation (2), the values Fb are calculated and given in Table 3. First according to China National
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Standard GB150-1998, the steel gasket factor m is 5.5, and the values of b and DG are calculated and given in Table 3.
Then according to Eq. (1), the values of WP are calculated and given in Table 3.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Obtained numerical results are shown in Figs. 4-7. Figure 4 shows the equivalent Von-Mises stress of gasket 02 under
loading conditions, i.e., internal pressure, p10 MPa, bolted load, WP105 975 N, axial pressure, Fb21 MPa and flanged
material, 45 steel. The minimum stress value is 1.35 MPa and the maximum one is 163.74 MPa which is within the
yield limit. Looking at the gasket, one can see the gradual change in the stress from left to right. The right side of the
gasket is exposed to more stress due to flange rotation in the clockwise direction. This rotation caused is mainly by the
bolted load and to lesser extent on the internal pressure. The stress distribution at the gasket 02 contact surface is
shown in Figs.5. The contact stress at the right side of the gasket is higher but at the left side it isn’t.

Figure 4: Equivalent Von-Mises stress of the flange-gasket 02 connection under loading conditions (see Table 3)

Figure 5: Contact stress distribution of the flange-gasket 02 Connection under loading conditions (see Table 3)

1. Effect of flange material on gasket effective width Results of the flange material effect on the contact stress are
shown in Fig.6. The vertical axis gives the contact stress at the gasket surface in MPa while gasket width is given along
the x-axis. According to the definition of the gasket effective width, at which the contact stress is bigger than mp, i.e.,
55 MPa, the effective width values of the gaskets 02, 05 and 08 are calculated and given in Table 4. When the flange
material is 45 steel, they are bigger than that while the flange material is 0Cr19Ni9. Due to the rigid-body rotation of
the flange, the contact stress is a maximum at the right hand side of the gasket and gradually decreases from right to left.
The nonlinear behavior of the gasket stress at the outer diameter is attributed to the rotational effect since the last point
of contact represents the center of rotation. As expected, by increasing the flange modulus of elasticity, the rigid-body
rotation of the flange decreases, so the contact stress at the left side of the gasket increases, it at the right side decrease,
the gap width decrease and the effective width of the gasket increases.

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 (a) Gasket 02 (b) Gasket 05

(c) Gasket 08
Figure 6: Effect of flange material on gasket contact stress

Figure 7: Effect of gasket dimension on gasket contact stress

Table 4 The gasket effective width values by FEA

b /mm. No.
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
MF
0Cr19Ni9 3.90 4.00 4.05 4.03 4.48 4.42 4.08 4.50 4.58
45 steel 4.40 4.90 4.90

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2. Effect of gasket dimension on gasket effective width Fig. 7 shows the contact stress versus the gasket width at
various gasket dimensions. Table 4 gives the effective width values of the gaskets No.01- No.09. When the basal width
of the gasket is held constant, its effective width increases by its inner and outer diameters increasing, but its inner and
outer diameters are range. For example, the inner and outer diameters of the gasket No.05 are bigger than that of the
gasket No.04, so the effective width of the gasket No.05 is bigger than that of the gasket No.04. And the inner and outer
diameters of the gasket No.06 are bigger than that of the gasket No.05; the effective width of the gasket No.06 is not
bigger than that of the gasket No.05. These show that the dimension of the gasket needs to be carefully designed to get
better sealing of the flange-gasket assembly.

CONCLUSIONS
This paper investigated the flange material and the gasket dimension affecting the effective width of the metallic
gasket. The material of the flange needs to be carefully selected to get proper sealing of the flange-gasket assembly.
Increasing the flange modulus of elasticity will result in better effective width of the gasket and the flange stresses are
smaller. Therefore the flange has to be made of a stiff material with a high modulus of elasticity to ensure better sealing
of the assembly. The different dimensions of the gasket have different effective widths. When the basal width of the
gasket is held constant, its effective width has an increscent trend by its inner and outer diameters increasing. So the
dimension of the gasket needs to be carefully designed to get better sealing of the flange-gasket assembly. The
obtained results differ from ASME results, i.e., the effective width of the gasket has relevance to the material of the
gasket and the shape of the sealing surface of the flange. And that the gasket effective width obtained in this paper is
smaller than that according to ASME design rules. The FEA predictions provide a helpful reference for the design of
bolted flange connections, but Experimentation to verify them is recommended.

NOMENCLATURE
WP = bolted load
Fb = axial pressure
p = internal pressure
DG = gasket average diameter
b = gasket effective width
m = gasket factor
Di = flange inner diameter
Do = pipe outer diameter
MF = flange material

REFERENCES
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Technol., 1991; 113: 497-503.
2. Bouzid A, Derenne M. Distribution of the gasket contact stress in bolted flanged connections. Pressure Vessel
and Piping, 1997; 354: 185-193.
3. Sawa T, Ogata N. Stress analysis and evaluation of the sealing performance in pipe flange connections with
spiral would gaskets under internal pressure. Analysis of Bolted Joins, ASME PVP, 2001; 416: 27-34.
4. Bouzid A, Chaaban A, Bazergui A. The influence of the flange rotation on the leakage performance of bolted
flanged joins. Proc. CSME Forum Montreal, 1994, Vol. 1, pp. 184-194.
5. ASME. Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section Ⅷ, Division 2. The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, New York, USA, 1998.
6. ASME. Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section Ⅷ, Division 2, the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, New York, USA, 2001.
7. Nagat S, Shoji Y, Sawa T. The effect of flange geometry changes on the stress distribution bolted flanged
joins. Analysis of Bolted Joints, ASME PVP, 2001; 416: 123-134.

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