STANDARDS OF THE EXPANS ION JO INT MANUF ACTURERS ASSOCIATION. INC.

A PPEN DI X F

BELLOWS FATIGUE TEST REQU IR EMENTS

F-I INTROD UCTION
The Expansi on Joint Manufacturers Assoc iation has adopted the following minimum requirements for
bellows fatigue testing. It is the intention lilal the test results will accurately represent perfomlance of
typical production bellows. The results may be used to prepare fa tig ue curves for use with be ll ows
in tended for service below the active creep temperature range.
F-2 TEST SPECIMENS
F-2.1 MANUFACTU RI NG ~ I ET H ODS

The bellows used for fatigu e testing shall be representati ve of the bellows manufactured
for nomlal production purposes. The same shearing. rube rolling, welding. planishing,
convolution fonning. fe-rolling, final sizing. and thennal treatment methods sha ll be
empl oyed for the test speci mens.
The detailed steps of manufacruring sha ll be recorded for each test spec imen.
The finished test specimens shall have the same typical varia tions in dimensions. surface
fi ni sh. and condition of cold work as nonna l production bellows.
Multi-ply bellows sha ll have provisions for a leak path throu gh the outer plies.
1'-2.2 DIMENSIONAL ~IEASUREMENTS

Test spec imen as-built dimensions shall be measured and recorded. The nomenclature is
as follows:

i=1 2 N

r I + D•.
+

I -----
1-1-jL, I /=1 2
L, - - - - - - - - -
N-'

where
D Vi = Outside diameter of convolution crest. i (I to N). as detennined by
circumferential measurement.
D b! = Inside diameter of convo lution roOt. j (I (0 N-I). as determined by
circum ferentia l measurement.
" I.k = Convolution heigh!. j (I to N-I). al k (1 to 4) locations equally spaced
around the circumference
I,., Bellows material thickness at the tangent. m (1 to n)
Lb = BeI!O\'v's con\'oluted length
L, = Bellows tangell! length
N = Number of convolutions in the bellows
1/ = Number of bellows material plies

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 STANDA RDS OF TH E EXPANSION JOINT MA UFACTURERS ASSOC IATION. INC.
APPENDIX F

The tolerances fo r measurement accuracy of each di mens ion are as follows:

Do. ± 0.005 in.
D b) ± 0.005 in.
wi.! ± O.OOS in .
1m ± 0.00 1 in .
L, ± 0.03 1 in.
L, ± 0.063 in .
F-2.3 DIM ENS IONAL R EQU IREM ENTS
Test specimens shall meet the following requ irements :
a. Min . cOllvo lution inside d iameter (D,,) =6.63 in .
b. Max. bellO\\ls convo luted length (L II) ~ 2D,

c. Min . convo lution he ight (1\') ~L, / N

d. Min. number of con volutio ns (N) ~3

c. Min. bell ows tangent length (L f ) ~ Jr(D=-,""')(I-.c-)/"'2

1'-2.4 BELLOWS MATERIALS
Test specimens sha ll be manufaCll lred frolll typi ca l production quality material. Any
specia l treatments o r fini shing of the be ll ows material must be recorded .
F-2.5 BELLOWS ATTAC HMENT S
The bellows sha ll be auached to the test apparatus in a manner that duplicates namml
production be llows attachments.
1'-2.6 BELLOWS H EAT T REATMENT
Ifheat treatmen t is performed on lest speci men s, the following infomlatioll sha ll be
recorded:
a. Atmosphere
b. Heat ing rate
c. Holding temperature
d. Holding time
c. Coo li ng rale

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 STANDARDS OF T HE EXPANS ION JOINT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION. INC.
AP PEND IX F
F-3 TEST APPARATUS
F-3.1 GENERAL REQ UI RE ~I ENTS
The test apparatus sha ll be construc ted and controlled so (hat the test specimens can be
rig idly held in position and cycled repeatedly with the specified movement. Bellows
failure shall be defined as a leak through the materia l which causes a reduction of the
internal pressure below a se t minimum limit andlor allows for penetrating liquid to
bec.omc visible on the outer surface of the bellows.
F-3.2 CYCLE COUNTERS
The apparatus shall provide for reliable cycle counters which record the total number of
cycles to failure for eac h test bellows.
F-3.3 TEST MEOlA
Testing shall be completed using an internal pressurizing media andlor an internal
penetrating liquid.
A liquid or gas media may be used to pressurize the test specimens internally during the
fat igue test. The test media shall not be detrimental to the bellows ma terial. The pressure
may be constant or variable during the test. The apparatus sha ll be constructed so that the
loss of media through a leak wi ll result in a rapid reduction in pressure. The reduction in
pressure below a set minimum limit may be used to iden ti fy the presence of a leak.
Controls shall assure that a reduction in pressure below the set minimum limit results in a
recording of the total number of movement cycles shown on the bellows cycle counters.
The pressure during the movement cycles sha ll be constant but may differ from as low as
possible up to the allowable pressure but. shall in no case cause bellows instability or
convolution defbnnation during the test.
An internal penetrating liquid in contact wi th the inside surfaces of the test specimens
may be used during the fatigue test. The liquid shall nO[ be detrimental to the bellows
material. When a leak develops during the test, the penetrating liquid shall rapidly
become visible on the outer surface of the bellows and the total number of movement
cycles shall be recorded.
F-3A TRA YEL SPEED
The apparahis shall control the motion to be smooth over the length of trayel. The travel
speed shall not exceed 60 in / minute.
F-3.S BELLOWS' MOVEMENT
The bellows test specimens shall be cycled with a:'{ial movement only. One cycle is
defined as movement through the full movement range (amplitude) and return to the
starting position.
The bellows movements for the test specimens shall be selected to produce cycles to
failure that cover the desired range for the fatigue curve. The movements shall not be
excessive and shall not cause detrimental convolution defomlation.
The bellows movement range shall be measured and recorded at the beginning and end of
the test. The tolerance for the measured movement range is +...- 0.5%).

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 STANDARDS OF THE EXPANSION JOI NT MANUFACTURERS ASSOC IA TION, INC.
AP PENDIX F

F-I FA TI GUE CU RVES

F-4. 1 CALCULAT IONS
Total stress range (S, ) calculations for each bellows shall be in accordance with the EJMA
performance equations using the measured movement range and the room temperarure Modulus
ofElaslicity for the material. The stresses due to tesl media pressure shall not be included in the
calcu lation for total stress range.
The variables in the performance equations shall be found using the tesl specimen measurements
and the fo llowing equat ions:
a. Bellows Ou tside Diameter ( D,, )
I '
D,, = N LD",
,-,
b. Bellows Inside Diameter (D/o
I "-I
D, (N_ I )~D.
c. Convolution Height Less Bellows Material Th ickness ( \I' )
I '-I .j

'" 4(N -I)

LL
t ~1
wjk
1"'1
fo r D" < 10.75 in.

=(D" -D, ) ! 2 fo r D" ~ 10.75 in.

d. Bellows Nominal Thickness orOne Ply (I)
1 '
1= - L 1m
n m= 1

e. Convolut ion Pitch (q )

q = L.! N
f. Mean Diameter of the Bellows ( Duo )
D", = D~ + 1I ' +nt
F-5 TEST DOCUMENT A TI ON
The following documents are required:
a. Certified mill test reports for lhe bellows material
b. Heat treat charts (where applicab le )
c. Photographs of the test
d. Test log sheets and records
e. Final report of the results

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