New Formulation of Bolted Joint Stiffness

New formulation is proposed for a more accurate estimate of bolted joint stiffness. In this study, a novel approach is used to obtain an expression for an effective area to be used for determining the clamped parts stiffness. A more accurate estimate of the joint stiffness would naturally provide a more reliable prediction of the bolted assembly response to external loads. The effects of the grip length-to-diameter ratio, joint dimensions, and the contact radii ratio of the joint plates are investigated and analyzed. Experimental data and finite element (FEA) modeling are provided to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed formulation of joint stiffness.