Home » Engineering » Mechanical Design » Threaded Fasteners and Power Screws » Bolt Clamping Force Calculations BOLT CLAMPING FORCE CALCULATIONS By EngineerExcel Bolted joints are commonly used in machinery to securely connect two or more components together. Compared to other types of fasteners, they are favored because of their strength in supporting loads, ease of disassembly, and reliability.Bolt clamping force is an essential factor in the design of bolted joints. Read more to learn about clamping force calculations, methods of indication, and the factors affecting its value. CLAMPING FORCE CALCULATION A bolted joint connects two structural elements using a bolt and a nut. The bolt is inserted through a hole in both elements and tightened by turning the nut along the threads. The tightening process generates a compressive force that squeezes the elements together and secures the joint. This compressive force that the structural elements experience is called the clamping force or clamping load. In a way, it is a measure of the tightness of the bolted joint. Elevate Your Engineering With Excel Advance in Excel with engineering-focused training that equips you with the skills to streamline projects and accelerate your career.Find Out More The figure below shows the clamping force acting on the two materials being clamped together by a bolt and nut assembly. Calculating the value of the clamping force depends on the loading condition on the joint. |— 2structural elements ~<—— Bolt thread = ENGINEEREXCEL Preload CalculationAt zero external load condition, the clamping force is equal to the preload or the initial load of the bolted joint. In a properly designed joint, the value of the preload should be enough to keep the joint securely fastened and prevent it from loosening or separating under the expected loading conditions it will be subjected to. When deciding on the preload, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Several factors must be considered to make an accurate estimate of the required value However, as a general rule, the preload is 75% of the proof strength for removable fasteners and 90% of the proof strength for permanent fasteners. If the proof strength value is unknown, it can be estimated to be equal to 85% of the yield strength. Clamping Force Under Compressive External Load Under a compressive external load, the members are assumed to have infinite stiffness. Hence, no load is carried by the fastener and the clamping force that the structural elements experience is simply equal to the preload plus the applied compressive load. This can be mathematically expressed as: = F; + P Where: © F,=clamping force that the structural elements experience [N] * F)=preload[N] « P=applied load [N] a In general, compressive external loads do not cause bolt failure since the force in the bolt is unaffected by the compressive load. That is, the compressive load is equal to the preload.Clamping Force Under Tensile External Load Under tensile load, the bolt and the members are assumed to have finite stiffness. Following Hooke’s Law, the clamping force on the members can be calculated using the formula: km F, = F,; - P—"— c : kp t+ km Where: * km = stiffness of the structural members [N/m] © kp =stiffness of the bolt [N/m] In addition, the tensile force on the bolt can be calculated using the formula: Where: ¢ F, = tensile force on the bolt [N] Note that the formulas above assume that there is no separation happening between the joints. Once the joint separates, then the bolt will carry all the external load, thats, Fo=P, Factor Of Safety Against Joint SeparationBolted joints subjected to tension can typically fail due to joint separation or permanent elongation of the bolt. The tensile external load required to cause joint separation can be calculated using the formula: Where: © Po= magnitude of the tensile force that would cause joint separation [N] From the formula above, it follows that the factor of safety against joint separation can be calculated using the formula: Nsep = Pa- Where: © Mep = factor of safety against joint separation [unitless] Factor Of Safety Against Bolt ElongationFor a threaded fastener under tensile load, the axial stress in the threaded region can be calculated using the formula: kp a At Fi +P pe — Op = Where: © oy = tensile stress in the bolt’s threaded region [N/m?] « A,=tensile area of the bolt [m2] From the formula above, it follows that the factor of safety for exceeding the proof strength of the bolt can be calculated using the formula: _ Sp _ SyAt “7 Oy F, + Pee inthe, Where: * n= factor of safety against elongation or yielding [unitless] ¢ S, = proof strength of the bolt [Pa] CLAMPING FORCE INDICATIONApplying the correct amount of preload clamping force to a bolted joint is crucial to prevent joint failure or damage to the parts being joined or the bolt itself. Over- tightened joints may stress structural elements and lead to breakage, while under- tightened joints may loosen the connection between elements and cause structure separation or fatigue. Therefore, a good tightness indicator is necessary to ensure that the joint is tightened enough. Because the clamping force of a bolt depends on various factors, such as the diameter and thread pitch of the bolt, the type and thickness of the materials being joined, the torque applied during tightening, and the coefficient of friction between the bolt threads and the mating surfaces, estimating the actual clamping force can be tricky. In common practice, torque is commonly used as an indicator of the tightness of a bolted joint, which is measured directly from a torque wrench. It’s assumed that the tightening torque is linearly proportional to the bolt preload generated at the joint. This is expressed in the equation: T=Kd,FWhere: © T= tightening torque [N-m] © K=nut factor [unitless] © d, = bolt diameter [m] The nut factor depends on the material and lubricant used, and is normally provided in ranges. The nut factors of the most common lubricants are shown in the table below. Sprint Bexcel ®CSV Copy Show 10 entries La Slee aie devel I asec Phosphate and Oil 0.19 0.15-0.23 Plated Fasteners 0.15 Grease, Oil, or Wax 0.12 Standards have also been developed to standardize the suggested tightening torque values to produce the needed bolt clamping force. For SAE bolts, the suggested tightening torque values are shown in the table below. SAE Grade 5 Bolt Recommended Tightening Torque Sprint Bexcel ®CSV Copy Show 10 entries : Pees aon areca 1” ae R PLU) erie] Feria CC a ate a ace Tn nS Davos Paes iey 4-40 0.1120 0.00604 380 8 lb. in. 6 Ib.in, 4-48 0.1120 0.00661 420 7 Ib.in.Bar aD ad arn Bolt Dia. D (in) Clamp Load P Area A (sq. in.) (Ib) Torque, Dry Bere met on Pos Poona 6-40 0.1380, 0.01015 640 18 Ib. in. 8-32 0.1640 0.01400 900 30 Ib. in. 8-36 0.1640 0.01474 940 31 Ib. in. 23 |b. in. 10-24 0.1900. 0.01750 1120 43 Ib. 32 Ib. in. 10-32 0.1900 0.02000 1285, 49 Ib. in. 36 Ib. in. 1/4-20 0.2500 0.0318 2020 96 Ib. in. 75 |b. in. 1/4-28 0.2500 0.0364 (2320 Showing to 10of entries « <¢ [+] 203 4 > » SAE Grade 8 Bolt Recommended Tightening Torque S Print Bexcel BCSV MB Copy Show 10 entries BT adele ee i NL aa Sect anton “ Pov Teor ies 4-40 0.1120 0.00604 540 12 Ib. in. 9 Ib.in. | 4-48 0.1120 0.00661 600 13 Ib. in. 10 |b. in. | 6-32 0.1380 0.00909 820 23 Ib. in. 17 Ib.in. | 6-40 0.1380, 0.01015 920 25 Ib. in. 19 Ib. in, | 8-32 0.1640 0.01400 1260 41 b. in. 31 1b. in. | 8-36 0.1640 0.01474 1320 32 Ib. in. | 10-24 0.1900 0.01750 1580 451 | 10-32 0.1900 0.02000 1800 51 |b. in. | ‘1/4-20 0.2500 0.0318 (2860 108 Ib. in. | 1/4-28 0.2500 0.0364 3280 120 |b. in. ‘Showing 1 to 10 of 36 entries « <¢ 1 2 3 4 > »Although the torque method is the most common method in practice, the assumption that torque is linearly proportional to the clamping force doesn’t hold in reality since the preload generated under a single torque value varies with friction. Hence, various other methods have been developed to indicate clamping force more accurately. A piezoelectric load-sensing washer has been developed to directly measure the clamping force exerted by the bolt it is on. It utilizes the capacity of piezoelectric materials to generate voltage when they are subjected to mechanical stress in order to read the electrical output of the filaments and relate it to the clamping force being experienced real-time. In addition, some other methods that are used to indicate clamping force include the use of ultrasonic sensing, computer-controlled wrench, and strain gages. These methods have different levels of accuracies as shown in the table below. S Print Bexcel CSV B Copy Show 10 entries Torque Wrench on Unlubricated Bolts #35% Torque Wrench on Cad-Plated Bolts 230% Torque Wrench on Lubricated Bolts £25% Preload Indicating Washer +10% Strain Gages 21% Computer Controlled Wrench (Below Yield) #15% Computer Controlled Wrench (Yield Sensing) +8% Bolt Elongation 25% Ultrasonic Sensing 35% a Showing 1 to 9 of 9 entriesAbout The Author EngineerExcel The editorial team at EngineerExcel consists of a passionate group of engineering experts headed by Charlie Young, P.E. Their goal is to produce well-researched, highly detailed content that assists engineers in grasping important concepts, improving productivity, and advancing their careers. RELATED ARTICLES COMPARED: A307 VS. A325 ACME THREAD CALCULATIONS: A COMPLETE GUIDE BOLT GRADES [WITH CHARTS]eT CeCe MLM SULT Les) Excel Toolkit! Download NowENGINEEREXCEL ACADEMY Join EngineerExcel Academy Today @ IN-DEPTH COURSES AND TRAINING @ SUPPORTIVE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY @ DOWNLOADABLE SPREADSHEETS & VBA Learn More!NAVIGATI ON About Reviews Login SUPPORT Support Terms Privacy Copyright © 2024 EngineerExcel ENGINEERI NG Fluid Mechanics Mechanical Design Mechanics of Materials EXCEL Calculators Calculus Charts. Curve Fitting and Regression Data Engineering Calculations Formulas Functions Interpolation Optimization