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A 3D Simulation of Bolted Joint and Fatigue Life Estimation Using Critical

Distance Technique

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DOI: 10.22084/JRSTAN.2019.18275.1085

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 Journal of Stress Analysis
Vol. 4, No. 1, Spring − Summer 2019

A 3D Simulation of Bolted Joint and Fatigue Life Esti-

mation Using Critical Distance Technique
N. Habibi∗ , M. Amoorezayi
Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

Article info Abstract

Article history: Bolted joints are one of the most common joints in the industry and assemble
Received 08 March 2019 the most of the machine elements and segments together. Majority of struc-
Received in revised form tures are affected by fluctuating forces, therefore there is the risk of fatigue
25 August 2019 failure that causes countless damages, thus fatigue life estimation of bolted
Accepted 15 Semtember 2019 joints have always been important. The value of high stress concentration at
the threads root especially first engaged thread causes problems for fatigue
Keywords: life estimation, since by applying stresses lower than yield stress of the bolt
Critical distance technique material, plastic deformation occurs at zones of thread root that reach to
Bolted joints ultimate stress but fracture does not happen and in some cases bolt-nut joints
have infinite life, so that maximum stress at thread root is not fatigue life
Three-dimensional simulation
determinant. The modified critical distance technique and expressed stress
Fatigue life estimation
at this distance were used for determination of fatigue life in joint. In this
Preload study, the bolted joint fatigue life prediction using critical distance technique
S-N curve was compared to experimental results. The three-dimensional finite element
analysis for bolted joint was performed. Pre-tightening process and tensile
axial force were simulated in ABAQUS software after applying two steps of
force including rotation displacement to the center of the nut due to clamping
joints (applied torque) and tensile force, the stress distribution resultant of
different tensile forces by application of the critical distance technique and
mechanical properties fatigue life were determined, and S-N curve prediction
matched well with experimental data.

Nomenclature
∆σw0 The fatigue endurance limit KIC The fracture toughness of material
σB The fatigue strength of material L The nut length
∆Kth The coefficient of the crack growth threshold p The pitch of the bolt
rp′ The critical distance of low cycle fatigue rp The critical distance of high cycle fatigue
(high stress) (low stress)

1. Introduction lation and separation. The existence of discontinuity

on the surface of the screw causes the stress concen-
Since centuries ago, human beings have applied tration. As long as alternative loading influences most
threaded joints in engineering structures. It is so ap- of the structures, it leads to fatigue fracture in connec-
plicable in any types of machinery for its easy instal- tions that results in vital and economical damage. In
∗ Corresponding author: N. Habibi (Assistant Professor)
E-mail address: n.habibi@uok.ac.ir
http://dx.doi.org/10.22084/jrstan.2019.18275.1085
ISSN: 2588-2597

53
A 3D Simulation of Bolted Joint and Fatigue Life Estimation Using Critical Distance Technique: 53–63 54

order to prevent the failure of these joints, there are force is added, the surface of the contact changes and
numerous investigations about creating the analysis of the stiffness is a function of the applied force. Dragoni
the connections. The stress distribution in the regions [11] and Waltermire [12] examined the effect of thread
with high stress concentration, further examination of pitch and nut shape on stress concentration. One of
the techniques reduced stress and improved the fatigue the remarkable studies on effective factors on fatigue
life. In order to estimate the fatigue life of the bolted life is Majzoobi’s research and et al. [13]. They stud-
joints, this subject must be considered that due to high ied the bolted joint under sinusoidal loading during
stress concentration in the thread roots during the ini- experimental study using Instron universal apparatus.
tial stages of loading, this region enters plastic phase. The results showed that the coarse thread bolts have
Among the effective factors on fatigue life (the amount a longer fatigue life than the fine thread bolts. Among
of preload, coarse, and fine threads) are the significant the connections, the bolted joint with the slotted ta-
factors. It is noteworthy that maximum concentration pered nut and the spring washer has the highest fatigue
factor takes place in the first thread between the bolt life than the other joints [14].
and nut, and the researchers concluded that the stress Knight et al. [15] examined the effects of factors
concentration in these zones by changing the shape of such as preload, and the area of the spring washer
the thread reduced. Since the early nineteenth century, surface on the connection reaction during loading in
the stress distribution in threaded joints has been stud- a structure with two L-shaped sections that were con-
ied. The theoretical evaluation of maximum stress in nected by a bolt. Esmaeili et al. [16] showed that
the root of the threads depends on the load distribu- in both experimental and numerical methods by in-
tion between the involved threads. Researchers such as creasing the twisting torque of double lap simple bolted
Maduschka [1] and Sopwith [2] introduced the theories and hybrid (bolted/bonded), fatigue life improves due
that verified by photoelectric experiments. This theory to compressive stress distribution around the hole in
was formulated by Stoeckly and Macke [3] in 1952 as a the plate. In addition, the compound connection has
load distribution for bolt and nut joints. a longer fatigue life than a simple connection. Biehl
In 1986, Peterson and Kenny [4] performed a frozen [17] simulated tightening torque by ABAQUS software
stress photo-elasticity test and compared photo-elastic to obtain nut coefficient and the torque simulated as
stress distribution to the Stoeckly stress distribution boundary conditions. He also carried out several ex-
equation, and concluded that before loading of the periments, and obtained preloads for each torque and
joint, the level of the nut face reached to the maxi- finite element results matched well with experiment
mum stress, and by increasing the distance from the data.
contact surface of the nut and bolt, stress decreases. Fukuoka and Nomura [18] proposed an effective
Maruyama [5] for the first time obtained the stress dis- mesh generation scheme, which can provide helical
tribution for bolted joint by finite element method. thread models with accurate geometry to analyze spe-
Piscan et al. [6] utilized classical theory for con- cific characteristics of the stress concentrations and
nection analysis and considered bolts and members as contact pressure distributions caused by the helical
linear and parallel springs. Whereas before loading, thread geometry; it was shown that how the stress
the bolted joint was tightened so so a nonlinear strain and contact pressure of the thread root vary along the
was created therein. Piscan modeled bolted joint using helix and at the nut loaded surface in circumferential
the Ansys software regardless of the thread, and found direction and why the second peak appears in the dis-
that strain decreases nonlinearly by increasing the stiff- tribution of Von-Mises stress at thread root. Hu et
ness of the contact point that is non-linear. Williams al. [19] studied the failure mechanisms under tensile
et al. [7] studied laboratory methods, classical theory, loading for high strength of the bolts with different de-
and simulation by Ansys software; simulation was ac- grees of tolerance, which is related to coating processes
complished in two ways: first simple model (without and tolerances degree of the bolt and nut. Chen et al.
thread), second advanced mode (all of the design de- [20] found that the fatigue life extended by introduc-
tails and plastic specifications included); he examined ing suitable pitch difference. The effect of the bolt-nut
the effect of increasing external load on the bolt applied fitted clearance on the fatigue failure was investigated.
force. Yu and Zhou [21] in another study, like Biehl research,
Lehnhoff et al. [8] calculated member stiffness were obtained the relation between preload and torque, ex-
by considering stress distribution of the bottom sur- cept for the applied torque as shear stress to the outer
face of the bolt head uniformly, while Haidar et al. surface of the nut. Yousefzadeh and Torabi [22] created
[9] proposed third order function as stress distribution. a groove on the thread of the M20 bolt using ABAQUS
He also presented a new relationship for the members’ software to reduce the stress concentration and achieve
stiffness, and results matched well with the experimen- to the optimum depth of the groove, in which, if the
tal data and results from Ansys software. Zhang and depth is more or less than optimal amount, it has a
Poirier [10] considered the members’ stiffness as a func- reverse effect on fatigue life and stress concentration
tion versus external force, because when the external coefficient of the specimens. The other factor that can
Journal of Stress Analysis/ Vol. 4, No. 1, Spring − Summer 2019 55

dramatically decrease the maximum local stress in the especially the first thread is very high during loading;
root of the threads is increase in the roots radius in the therefore, these grooved areas determine the fatigue life
trapezoid thread bolts with large diameters. and strength of the connection. One of the methods
In the research of Selah by employing ANSYS for estimating the fatigue life of the grooved specimens
Workbench software and three-dimensional finite ele- is the critical distance technique. For the first time
ment simulation, failure analysis of hybrid bonded and in this study, the modified critical distance technique
bolted single and double lap joints with laminated com- was used to estimate the fatigue life of the bolted joint.
posite adherents subjected to axial, shear, and bending Therefore, the ABAQUS software was used to deter-
loads were performed [23]. Cojocaru and Korka [24] us- mine the location and amount of local stresses using
ing two-dimensional modeling showed that by increase finite element method.
in the root radius of the threads, stress decreases. Re-
cently, Jasztal and Regowski [25] studied fatigue life
analysis of the bolted joints using ANSYS software.
They presented ways to modify the fatigue life of the
bolted joints. Furthermore, they described preload by
means of mathematical relations and illustrated the
preload effect mechanism on fatigue strength, graph-
ically.
Yu et al. [26] investigated high-temperature low-
cycle fatigue life prediction and experimental research
of pre-tightened bolts; a new low-cycle fatigue model
based on the Von-Mises equivalent stress/strain crite-
rion was proposed, meanwhile, the proposed model was
used to predict low-cycle fatigue life of pre-tightened
bolts in the high temperature according to the finite
element analysis results. In the review paper of Sus-
mel [27], it was clearly shown that the critical distance
technique is successful in predicting the high-cycle fa-
tigue strength of real mechanical components weak- Fig. 1. Schematic of fixture and bolted joint with bush
ened by different geometrical features and subjected [14].
to both uniaxial and multiaxial fatigue loading. Stress
distribution in a bolted joint was obtained in a three-
2.2. Modeling of the Bolted Joint
dimensional model with proper accuracy. From the
innovations of the article, it is possible to apply the M12 bolted joint was simulated and analyzed using
critical distance technique for the first time in order toABAQUS software. Because of all the details consid-
calculate the fatigue life of the bolt and nut joint. ered, including the bolt pitch, the modeling was three-
dimensional. The first step loading, which includes the
torque necessary to tighten the connection, was used
2. Analysis of Bolted Joint in Software for the boundary conditions like Biehl research [17].
2.1. The Geometry of Model The geometrical dimensions of bolt are as follows: the
external diameter = 12mm, the bolt length equal to
A bolted joint similar to study of Refs [13, 14] with 70mm, and bolt pitch = 1.5mm. The modeling of the
all its details including thread pitches, thread profiles bolt and nut was done according to DIN 931 and DIN
based on existing standards (including curvature in the 934 Standards. The hexagonal nut was considered for
root of the threads), with bushes was modeled. The the bolted joint. The three-dimensional schematic of
bushes were connected to a fixture, because of the in- the bolt and nut, bush and the assembly view of the
crease in the volume of the calculations, the fixture in fixture is illustrated in Fig. 2. The bush was also mod-
the modeling was not considered and the force directly eled in two parts, similar to the dimensions of the Ref
with a difference percentage due to the exiting friction [14]. It is noteworthy that the analysis was performed
was applied to the bushes. Schematic of the fixture in the form of linear elastic, only the characteristic of
and bolted joint with bushes are illustrated in Fig. 1. the Poisson’s ratio and the modulus of elasticity of ma-
The fixture can clamp various bolts up to 30mm in di- terials are required. The material used to make bolt
ameter and 200mm in length. The fixture was made of and nut and Bushes were AISI 1020 and VCN 150, re-
a material rigid enough to resist fatigue loading (VCN spectively. Mechanical properties of AISI 1020, VCN
150) [28]. In Fig. 1, left and right elements at the top 150 (V155) are shown in Table 1.
of the fixture are not used in modeling. After modeling the components (bolt, nut and
Since the stress concentration in the threads root, bushes), the elements were assembled in such a way
A 3D Simulation of Bolted Joint and Fatigue Life Estimation Using Critical Distance Technique: 53–63 56

that the bolt passes through the inside of the bushes considered for all sliding surfaces in the finite element
and is tightened using the nut. Of course, in the soft- model, that includes the interfaces between mating
ware, the bolt was displaced so that the threads in- threads, nut face and lower bush surface, upper and
volved with the bolt and nut with consideration low lower flanges surface, surface of the bolt head and the
clearance in accordance with Fig. 3 located in ap- lower bush surface. Bolt shank and hole are not in
propriate position. The proper clearance between the contact with clearance fit. Contact type was surface
threads of bolt and nut in the present model was se- to surface. The value of the friction coefficient equal
lected according to Ref [29]. to 0.15 was assigned to all sliding surfaces.

Fig. 3. The schematic of clearance between bolt and

nut.

2.3. The Model Meshing

Due to the complexity of the bolt geometry and thread
spiral modeling, the tetrahedron element was selected.
Fig. 2. The three-dimensional schematic of the bolt The maximum concentration of the stress occurs at the
(M12), nut, bush and fixture in ABAQUS software. threads root, hence finer mesh was assigned to these
Table 1 zones. The bolt and nut were meshed with 4-node
Mechanical properties of AISI 1020 and VCN 150 [28]. linear tetrahedron element (ABAQUS C3D4 element).
VCN AISI The meshing of the model (bolt and nut) is illustrated
Property
150 1020 in Fig. 4.
Hardness (HB) 111 217
Tensile (Ultimate) strength (MPa) 394.72 744.60
Tensile strength, yield (MPa) 294.74 472.3
Elongation at break (in 50mm) 36.5% 22%
Reduction of area 66% 49.9%
Modulus of elasticity (GPa) 200 210
Bulk modulus (GPa) 140 -
Poisson ratio 0.290 0.30
Shear modulus (GPa) 80 -

In the first step, the loading was applied as a bound-

ary condition for tightening the bolt. Biehl’s research
[17], similar to the present problem, was used as ref-
erence sample that the bolt tightening angle was ap- Fig. 4. The meshing of the model (bolt and nut).
plied to the point in the center of the nut. In the
second step, the axial tension loading was applied, and
2.4. Boundary Conditions and Loading
was used to estimate the stress distribution for eval-
uating the fatigue life. Moreover, the solving method For the applied boundary conditions, the top surface
of model selected static-general, in this analysis, the of the bolt head was fixed; side surfaces of the bushes
inertia effects were ignored, and the analysis was con- were constrained in circumferential direction. A multi-
sidered completely static. Four-contact interaction was point constraint was used to control rotation and pre-
Journal of Stress Analysis/ Vol. 4, No. 1, Spring − Summer 2019 57

vent lateral translation (θz = 0.07, x = 0, y = 0), the critical distance was considered.
corresponding angle to torque (10Nm) was equal to Due to the fact that the maximum stress concentra-
0.07 radians. The multi-point constraint as located at tion creates in the first thread area, the mesh density in
the center of the nut, and the nodes around the outer this area was increased. The Von-Mises stress diagram
diameter of the nut were connected to each other. A was obtained from the maximum stress point to the
prescribed rotation was applied to the multi-point con- center of the bolt as a result, and from the intersection
straint. In the second step, the tensile load was applied of this diagram with the line of the critical distance be-
to the bottom surface of the lower bush as pressure in tween the fatigue strength and the critical distance of
the opposite direction of the loading boundary condi- the fatigue limit, stress at the critical distance was de-
tions of the model that is illustrated in Figs. 5 and termined. The obtained results for mesh convergence
6. are illustrated in table 2. According to Figs. 13 and
14, it is observed that maximum Von-Mises stress takes
place in the threat root and minimum stress belongs to
bolt center. In this analysis, the number of elements
were equal to 6749.
Table 2
The convergence mesh for Von-Mises stress, axial loading =
47.68kN.
The Von-Mises stress in critical The number of
distance (MPa) elements
238.75 2458
325.21 3542
405.82 4876
487.24 5360
Fig. 5. The boundary conditions of the model in soft- 494.73 6849
ware.
3. Fatigue Life Estimation Using Critical
Distance Technique
The critical distance technique is one of the most ef-
fective techniques for estimation of the fatigue life and
strength of materials. Neuber [30], after determination
of the relation for the characteristic length, showed that
the damage due to the real stress was the average stress
fluctuation pattern in the fatigue region (Notch sur-
rounding zone); he formulated this relation and called
it the linear method. Several years later, Peterson [31]
Fig. 6. The stress applied to the bush create tensile presented a point method, after Tanaka researches [32],
in the bolt. Atzori et al. [33] and Taylor [34], finally, the relation-
ship was simplified as follows [35].
2.5. Validation of Meshing ( )2
1 ∆Kth
L= (1)
Mesh density is a significant section that controls ac- π ∆σ0
curacy of finite element result. By increasing the den-
sity of the mesh (decreasing the dimensions of the el- If the results obtained from the critical distance tech-
ements), the numerical solution of the problem con- nique is less than the endurance limit of the material,
verges to a single solution, hence, mesh congruity then specimen will not fail and fatigue life is infinite.
should be checked in areas of the model where stresses, However, if the applied stress is larger than the en-
strains, contact pressure, or any other parameter that durance limit stress, then the specimen has a limited
must be accurately calculated. fatigue life. Hattori et al. [36] was able to modify
In order to determine the optimum number of ele- the critical distance technique and estimated fatigue
ments, a main parameter, which is the purpose of the strength and life for low cycles and high stresses, so
analysis of present research, was taken into account, that the Eqs. (2, 3) were utilized for determination of
the stress distribution in the threads root was required the critical distance in high- and low-cycle fatigue g,
to calculate the bolted joint fatigue life. The value respectively. If the created stress at critical distance is
of the Von-Mises stress obtained from the elements in greater than the fatigue strength of the material, the
A 3D Simulation of Bolted Joint and Fatigue Life Estimation Using Critical Distance Technique: 53–63 58

specimen will fail in the first cycle.

( )2
1 KIC
rp′ = (2)
2π σB

Where the parameters of KIC and σB are fracture

toughness and fatigue strength of the material, respec-
tively and rp′ is critical distance for low-cycle fatigue
(high stress).
( )2
1 ∆Kth
rp = (3)
2π ∆σw0

where ∆Kth is the threshold crack growth coefficient,

∆σw0 is fatigue endurance limit and rP is critical dis-
tance in high-cycle fatigue (low stress). Therefore, in-
terpolation of two points create a line, which intersects
with the stress distribution diagram, the critical dis-
tance is determined for the specified load by reflecting
the stress that is calculated using critical distance on
S-N curve, corresponding fatigue life is determined at
the obtained stress distribution and for other loadings
repeated and for each loading, fatigue life is predicted,
therefore by connecting the points, S-N curve is created
[37]. Determination of the critical distance using stress
distribution with point and line methods is illustrated
in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8. A flowchart of present work procedure.

4. Results and Discussion

4.1. Numerical Results
The present work has a great similarity with Biehl’s
research [17], and these two studies have differences in
the model, that washer was not considered in present
model, also, the results of the first step (Pretightening)
should be reassured, washer was added to the model
and a rotation of 27.3 degree was applied to the cen-
ter of the nut as stated in Biehl’s research. The stress
Fig. 7. Determination of the critical distance using distribution results and maximum stress are in good
stress distribution with point and line methods [27]. agreement with the obtained results of the Biehl study
that are illustrated in Figs. 9-11, and a small differ-
A flowchart of the present work procedure is shown ence due to different being the shape and number of
in Fig. 8. elements.
Journal of Stress Analysis/ Vol. 4, No. 1, Spring − Summer 2019 59

stresses on bolted joint according to the Majzoobi ex-

perimental tests [13] are illustrated in Table 3. The re-
sults of the stress distribution are used in this section.
Due to the repetition of method for different forces,
only detailed steps for estimation of the highest stress
loading is explained. According to previous studies,
the highest concentration of stress occurs in the first
root zone of engaged threads, as shown in Fig. 12.
Using the nodal coordinates of maximum Von-Mises
stress and the center of the bolt cross-section, the path
on model was defined. Then, by determining the max-
imum Von-Mises stress, the nodal coordinates are esti-
mated and path of this node to point in the bolt center
on cross-section is determined, this path is illustrated
in Fig. 13.
Fig. 9. The Von-Mises stress created in the model.
Table 3
The applied tensile loading on model [13].
The number Applied force Applied stress
of test (kN) (MPa)
1 47.84 567.54
2 43.06 510.78
3 38.73 454.03
4 33.53 397.28
5 28.71 340.52
6 18.18 215.66

Fig. 10. A view of the concentration of Von-Mises

stress in the root of the bolt threads.

Fig. 12. Stress distribution in the first thread root

area, axial load= 47.84kN.

Fig. 11. Distribution of the obtained stress according

to Bill research [17].

4.2. The Fatigue Life Estimation

In this section, fatigue life for bolted joint is esti-
mated by the critical distance technique and the results Fig. 13. Determined path from maximum Von-Mises
are compared with experimental results. The applied to bolt center.
A 3D Simulation of Bolted Joint and Fatigue Life Estimation Using Critical Distance Technique: 53–63 60

As a result, the stress distribution diagram based Table 4

on the distance from the node (the location of the The comparison of the data obtained from the present study and
the experimental results.
highest concentration of stress) for applied loading
Applied Fatigue life Fatigue life
(force= 47.84kN) to the bottom of the nut is illustrated
stress (experiment) (critical distance
in Fig. 14. The AISI 1020 crack growth curve is avail-
(MPa) [Ref. 13] Technique)
able for the load ratio (stress) equal to 0.1 and 0.7 in
Ferreira’s research et al. [38], since the stress ratio (R) 216.107 515011 475059
in Majzoobi study was equal to zero, the initial torque 338.255 156193 154150
applied on the connection, causes a small elongation 389.933 101343 114624
in the bolt, in which R = 0.1 is considered, and the 446.309 69386 90909
crack growth pattern (Fig. 15) was used. The values 507.383 56607 67190
of the parameters used to estimate the fatigue life are 563.758 43585 59280
as below [38]:

√ √
∆Kth = 11.6MPa m, KIC = 40MPa m,

σB = 520MPa, ∆σw0 = 0.504Sut , ∆σw0 = 262MPa

Fig. 14. Stress distribution curve, applied load equal Fig. 15. The AISI 1020 crack growth curve [38].
to 47.84kN.

The values of endurance limit and critical fatigue

strength distance are equal to 0.3mm and 0.94mm, re-
spectively. By interpolation of the critical distances
on fatigue limit, a line is obtained after the intersec-
tion of stated line with the stress distribution diagram
(Fig. 16), the obtained point is fatigue limit that de-
termines fatigue life by reflecting this point on the S-N
curve, the amount of fatigue life for specified loading
was estimated equal to 59280 cycles, as illustrated in
Fig. 17, fatigue limit stress is equal to 494.737MPa,
when tensile stress is equal to 563.758MPa applied.
The mentioned steps repeated for different ap-
plied stresses, and the fatigue S-N curve critical dis-
tance technique was compared with experimental re-
sults (Fig. 18). In addition, the comparison of the
data obtained from the present study and the experi- Fig. 16. Intersection of stress distribution diagram
mental results are illustrated in Table 4. and critical distance line.
Journal of Stress Analysis/ Vol. 4, No. 1, Spring − Summer 2019 61

be concluded that the present technique is suitable for

fatigue life prediction of the bolted Joint. It is notewor-
thy that the conventional critical technique was only
used for calculation of fatigue strength, while the mod-
ified method is used to determine the fatigue life. For
the first time, the critical distance technique was used
to calculate the fatigue life of the bolt and nut joint.

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