2011 International Conference on Transportation, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering (TMEE) December 16-18, Changchun, China

The effect of hole shape on fatigue life of bolted connectors

XU Jian-xin, MI Qi-xin, LI Ding-he
College of Aeronautical Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China Tianjin, China E-mail:miqixin@163.com
Abstract Three-dimensional finite element (FE) models were developed to study the effect of holes with different shape on bolted connectors fatigue life. Using MSC.Patran commercial finite element analysis software to create models. Using Nastrans nonlinear contact algorithm to do the FEM simulation, and the MSC.Fatigue was used to analyze the fatigue life. In the analysis, the material properties, contact relationship between bolts and aluminous plate, aluminous plate and aluminous plate were considered. The effect of bolt holes with different shape on bolted connectors fatigue life has been analyzed by comparing the results. The results of this study can provide reference for the design of bolted connection in aircraft and vehicle structures. And it is useful for failure prevention. Keywords: bolted connection; elliptic hole; fatigue life; finite element method

of holes shape on bolted connectors fatigue life by comparing the results of different holes shape and the same holes shape in different grid levels. The study has the important reference value to the design of mechanical connector and maintenance. II. PROBLEM STATEMENT

A. Geometry The single shear connector will produce huge bending moment when it was stretched. In order to avoid the influence of single shear connectors bending moment, double shear connector models were created. The characteristics common to all cases are shown in Fig. 1, where the elliptical hole located in the plate.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Bolt connection is a removable mechanical connection mode, which has been widely used in the aircraft and vehicle structures. The analysis of bolted connectors fatigue life plays an important role in aircraft and vehicle structures fatigue analysis, especially for the important connectors. Domestic and foreign scholars have studied the effect of holes position and bolts preloaded force on bolted connectors fatigue life through the wide range of experimental and theoretical analysis, but few of them studied the effect of holes shape. Buket Okutan [1] and Aktas A [2] have studied the effect of holes position and bolt preload on bolted connectors' fatigue life, P.Papanikos [3] and Kim [4] have studied the effect of extrusion sequence and hole spacing on how to improve the fatigue life. LiuRenYu, HeYuTing [5] have used experimental method to study fatigue damage phenomenon, and analyzed the effect of thickness on connectors' fatigue life. Liu Jun, GouWenXuan, YueZhuFeng [6] have studied the effect of roundness of hole on estimate fatigue life. And YanXiangQiao [7] have analyzed cracks emanate from an elliptical hole in an infinite plate. Many scholars study the bolted connectors fatigue life through a lot of fatigue experiments and the results are always sweated and dispersed. In this study, the finite element method was used, and the material properties and contact relationship were considered. Commercial finite element analysis software MSC.Patran was used to create models, MSC.Fatigue was used to analysis the three groups of models fatigue life, and then analyzed the effect

(a)Draft of bolted connections

2a

(b) Elliptic hole Figure 1. Geometry of the bolted connectors

Three models were created to study the effect of bolt holes with different shape on bolted connectors fatigue life, which have the same material and size. Long axis of elliptic unchanged, by changing the length of short axis to describe the change of the holes shape. Three plates in each model have the same length and width. Select the standard specifications bolts. The model geometry is summarized in TABLE.

978-1-4577-1701-7/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE

1957

TABLE I. Variable
Length of plate Width of plate Thickness of plate Diameter of bolt Distance of edge Long axis of elliptic Short axis of elliptic

SUMMARY OF THE MODEL Symbol L W Typical/recommended values 80mm 40mm 10mm, 6mm 8mm 20mm 8.08mm 8.04mm,8.06mm,8.08mm

t1 (middle), t2 (upper and lower) e 2a 2b

B.

Finite Element Model All models were created using commercial finite element analysis software MSC.Patran 2010. The nonlinear contact algorithm was performed by MD.Nastran. Fig. 2 shows the three-dimensional finite element model of the bolted connectors, which have 7372 nodes and 10083 elements. Among them, middle plate has six layer grids, upper and lower plates have four layer

grids. The elastic modulus of bolt is greater than the elastic modulus of aluminum plate. Previous finite element analysis generally consider bolt as rigid body, does not consider the elastic deformation of bolt, which will make the finite element calculation results bring certain error. And the contact and friction between bolt and plate also take into consideration to simulate the model really.

Figure 2. The FEM of bolted connections

C. Material Properties and Loading Many factors can influence the fatigue life of bolted connection, such as friction coefficient, bolts preload force [8]. This text only study the effect of holes shape on bolted connectors fatigue life, set the friction coefficient = 0.15, bolt preloaded force is zero. The right edge of the upper and lower plates has been employed with six degrees of freedom at each node, and the tensile load F has been loaded at the left edge of middle plate.
TABLE II. Material
2024-T3 Q235
ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF MATERIAL

III.

RESULTS STUDY

Properties
E/(GPa)

72.4 205

0.33 0.3

A. Study Area The stress of model was calculated using Nastran, and the fatigue life was calculated using MSC.Fatigue. The result of the finite element analysis shows that the most dangerous place is around the elliptical hole in the middle plate. Fig. 3 shows the study area. Take the elliptical hole in middle plate as the object, the right end of the ellipse hole for starting point, around the elliptic hole, the log value of fatigue life as the Y-axis. And using this date fit three groups of curve. Analysis the effect of holes shape on connecters fatigue life by comparing three groups curve, and analysis the fatigue life distribution by comparing the three curves in each graph.

The material of bolt is Q235 steel and the material of plates is 2024- T3 aluminum alloy, which was widely used in aircraft and other mechanical structures. Elastic properties of the 2024-T3 aluminum alloy and Q235 steel are summarized in Table. Plastic deformation of plates and bolts were not considered in the calculation, and the SN curves of these two kinds of materials are provided by MSC.Fatigue itself.

x Compressive plane

Figure 3. Diagram of the study area

1958

B. The Stress and Fatigue Life Distribution The stress and fatigue life fringes of three models are similar. Take the model 2a=8.08mm, 2b=8.06mm for example, the stress and fatigue life fringes of FEM are showed in Fig. 4.

(a) Stress fringe

(b) Fatigue life fringe Figure 4. Stress and fatigue life fringe of FEM

From the Fig. 4 we can see, there was obvious stress concentration around the elliptical hole, especially near the contact area. Dislike the aluminum alloy plate with free hole, the maximum stress and the minimum fatigue life appeared in the direction of the profile perpendicular to the load on the both sides of hole, the right end of the ellipse hole in the middle plate is the most dangerous fatigue damage area. These results are the same as the experiments results in literature [9]. This is because the contact area between bolt and hole is small, and the great shear stress and stress concentration are caused on the both sides of the contact area. C. Results Analysis All models are double shear connection model, which are symmetrical. And the results of the finite element analysis should be symmetrical too in theory. Therefore,
First layer 22
Log of life

just take the nodes in first three layer grids to study. Three graphs are fitted by using the fatigue life date of these nodes. Fig. 5 shows the life distribution in different models. Each graph stand for one kind of holes shape, and three curves in each graph stand for three layer grids. It can be clearly seen from the graph. 1) Because of the models in this study are symmetrical, the fatigue life date of nodes in the same layer should be symmetrical too in theory. In fig. 5 we can see, the fatigue life curves are all symmetrical, which is conformity with the theory. It shows the validity of the finite element analysis. On the other hand, the distribution curves of fatigue life have similarities. From three graphs In Fig. 5 we can seein the area between 90 deg to 180 deg and -90 deg to -180 deg, with the change of holes shape, the trend of the fatigue life curves are still the same. This is because the two area are not contact with the bolt, and it only infulenced by tensile force. 2) On both sides of the bolt holes (-90and 90), the minimum value of fatigue life is not in the first layer grid, the surface of the plate, but in the second and third layer. This conclusion is the same as experimental conclusion in reference [5]. This is due to the effect of thickness, and the elliptical hole is in complex stress state, fatigue source is often produced in the inner surface of the holes wall. In 60 to 60 area, the fatigue life of nodes in the first layer is less than nodes in second and third layer. This is because of bolts bend and deformation, which made the stress level of the surface layer is much higher than middle layer, and the fatigue life is shorter than middle layer. We should pay more attention to the inner surface on both sides of hole when do the maintenance work. And the surface layer in -60 deg to 60 deg area should be checked carefully. 3) From the three graphs in Fig. 5 we can see, the effect of holes shape on bolted connectors fatigue life is obviously. In model (a), the log of minimum fatigue life is 12.6775, the log of minimum fatigue life in model (b) is 11.7853, and the log of minimum fatigue life in model (c) is 11.2192. With the increase of 2b, the fatigue life of bolted connectors decreased gradually. The effect of holes shape should be considered when design the mechanical connector and maintenance. In Fig.5 we also can draw the conclusion that the most dangerous fatigue damage area is not on both sides of the hole, but near the 20 deg and -20 deg area in the compressive plane. Therefore, in practical engineering application, we should pay more attention to these area when do the nondestructive testing.
Second layer Third layer

18

14

10 -180 -90 0
Angle(/)

90

180

(a)

2a=8.08mm, 2b=8.04mm

1959

First layer
22 Log of life

Second layer

Third layer

18

14

10 -180 -90 0 Angle (/) 90 180

(b)
First layer
22 Log of life

2a=8.08mm, 2b=8.06mm
Second layer Third layer

18

14

10 -180 -90 0 Angle (/) 90 180

(c) 2a=8.08mm, 2b=8.08mm Figure 5. The life distribution in different model

IV.

CONCLUSIONS

[2]

In this study, the three-dimensional finite element (FE) models were developed to allow a broad investigation into the effect of holes shape. By comparing the results of each model in this study, we can get the following conclusions. 1) The effect of holes shape on bolted connectors fatigue life is obviously. With the increase of short axis, the fatigue life of bolted connectors decreased gradually. 2) The most dangerous area of connectors is not on both sides of the hole (-90and 90). Extrusion area of the hole is the most dangerous fatigue damage area, which will be destroyed first. And in the contact area, the first layer grid is more dangerous than the second and third layer. ACKNOWLEDGMENT This work was supported by the Science Foundation of Civil Aviation University of China (Grant No. 2011kyE03) REFERENCES
[1] Buket Okutan, Zuleyha Aslan, Ramazan Karakuzu, A study of the effects of various geometric parameters on the failure strength of pin-loaded woven-glass-fiber reinforced epoxy laminate, Science and Technology, vol. 61, pp. 491~497, 2001.

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

Aktas A, Dirikolu M H, The effect of stacking sequence of carbon epoxy composite laminates on pinned-joint strength, Composite Structures, vol. 62, pp. 107~111, 2003. PAPANIKOS P, MEGUID S A, Elastic-plastic finite-element analysis of the cold expansion of adjacent fastener holes, Journal of materials processing technology, vol. 92~93, pp. 424-428, 1999. KIM Cheol, KIM Dae-Jin, SEOK Chang-Sung, Finite element analysis of the residual stress by cold expansion method under the influence of adjacent holes, Journal of materials processing technology, vol. 153~154, pp. 986-991, 2004. LiuRenYu, HeYuTing, Failure Analysis for Lap Joint Panel of an Outer Wing in Fatigue Test, Aviation precision manufacturing technology, vol. 6, pp. 42-44, 2008. LiuJun, GouWenXuan, and YueZhuFeng, Effects of roundness of hole on estimated fatigue life with given survivability, Journal of Mechanical Strength, vol. 29, pp. 1001-1004, 2007. YanXiangQiao, A boundary element analysis for cracks emanating from an elliptical hole in an infinite plate, Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology, vol. 39, pp. 1084-1087, July 2007. LinEnQiang, GuoRan, LuoJiXiang, YaoZhenHan, Analysis of the parameter effect on fatigue crack in riveted components with finite element method, Engineering Mechanics, vol. 27, pp. 245-251, June 2010. TanZhen, LiuDaoXin, ZhangGuangLai, ZhangXiaoHua, Fatigue behavior of TC16 titanium alloy bolts and 30CrMnSiA steel joint holes, Mechanical Science and Technology, vol. 25, no. 7, pp. 767-770, July 2006.

1960