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This study investigates the effect of fastener coating, tightening speed, and repeated tightening on the torque-tension relationship, and on the coefficients of thread and underhead friction. Selected coatings provide three distinctly different levels of friction between threads and under the rotating fastener head; these coatings are assigned a low, medium, or high friction designation. Due to the fact that the torque-tension relationship is highly sensitive to normal variations in friction, the findings of this study would improve the reliability and safety of bolted assemblies, especially in critical applications. For the three selected coatings, the experimental procedure determines the coefficients of thread and underhead bearing friction as well as the overall fasteners torque-tension relationship at two tightening speeds for three fastener sizes with fine and coarse threads. Additionally, the effect of repeated tightening is examined.

This study investigates the effect of Teflon and adhesive coatings on the torque-tension relationship and the self-loosening performance of threaded fasteners. Two Teflon insulation coatings and one locking adhesive are considered. The torque-tension relationship is established for coated and uncoated fasteners for both tightening and loosening. Finally, the fasteners are tested to determine their self-loosening performance under cyclic transverse loads. A computer controlled fastener tightening system is used to establish the torque-tension relationship during tightening. The coefficients of thread and bearing friction, and the overall nut factor are measured. The breakaway loosening torque of tightened bolts, along with the coefficients of thread and underhead friction and nut factor are investigated. A modified Junker machine is used to evaluate the self-loosening performance of fasteners with various coatings.

This study investigates the effect of the fasteners threads dimensional variation within the conformance tolerance limits on the self-loosening of threaded fasteners that are subjected to cyclic transverse service loads. A test setup is developed in order to simulate cyclic transverse service loads, and monitor the fastener clamp load loss and rotation in real-time during the test. The tested fasteners are used in one of the critical safety joints in a DaimlerChrysler vehicle. The tested thread dimensional parameters are the major diameter, the minor diameter, the pitch diameter, thread pitch, and thread profile angle. These parameters are measured optically. A set of conforming fasteners are selected and tested for self loosening. The self-loosening results are used to construct a model that fits the data points that are obtained experimentally. After that, the developed model is used to estimate the effect of each factor and its interaction with other factors on the self-loosening.

In this paper, an emphasis is put on describing the elastic and plastic deformation behavior of the bolted joint. The bolt material is assumed to be plastic hardening. A nonlinear combined stress model is established for a typical bolted joint for the purpose of studying its behavior under a yield tightening. The combined effect of axial and torsional stresses in the tightened threaded fastener is considered. A new approach for yield tightening under ideal plastic bolt was proposed, and the effects of the thread and bearing frictional coefficients on the clamp load prediction are evaluated. The prediction precision of deformation behavior of the bolted joint under yield tightening for the strain hardening bolt material are studied experimentally.