Machine Elements & Mechanisms I

Laboratory

Date:

EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

CLAMPING FORCE AND TOTAL TORQUE IN A THREADED FASTENER
1. OBJECTIVES
It is known that the axial load acting upon the bolt of a threaded fastener can not be accurately predicted
due to inaccuracy in estimating friction coefficients. Hence, the following objectives will be followed:
a) experimental determination of the relationship between total torque (wrench torque) and clamping
(axial) force - Mtot=f (F) - for a threaded fastener;
b) experimental determination of torque components:
Mt1 - tightening torque (torque required to create axial force)
Mt2 collar frictional torque (friction between the nut and clamped parts)
c) experimental evaluation of friction coefficients.
2. TEST RIG (FIGURE 1)
The test rig consists of a bolt with a variable cross section, rigidly locked in the lower part. The bolt is
tightened with a torque indicator handle wrench, in order to control the total torque, Mtot. The special design of
the rig allows to include between the nut and the clamped components, a thrust ball-bearing, in order to minimize
the frictional torque on the thrust bearing (collar). A comparing dial gauge mounted on top of the bolt indicates
the axial elongation of the bolt.
3. OPERATING PROCEDURE
Two series of experiments must be made:
(i) direct tightening (when the nut is in direct contact with the clamped parts). In this case, the total torque
has two components:

M tot = M t1 + M t 2

(1)

where:
tightening torque

collar friction torque

2 = atan
* = atan

M t1 = T

d2
d
= F 2 tan 2 + *
2
2

F Dc3 D03
M t 2 = c
3 Dc2 D02

(2)

(3)

p
helix angle
d2

- reduced angle of friction

cos( / 2)

(ii) tightening on a thrust ball-bearing (placed between the nut and the clamped parts). In this case we may
assume that the frictional torque in the collar is negligible: Mt2 0 and correspondingly the measured total
torque, is equal with the tightening torque: Mtot Mt1
In both cases the axial force, F, is calculated using the computed bolt stiffness, k, and the measured axial
elongation of the bolt due to tightening, l:
F = kl
Assuming the bolt a stepped rod with i sections, the axial stiffness results from:
L
1 1
= i
k E i Ai

(5)

where E = 2.1105 MPa- Young elastic modulus for steel

Li - length of the ith segment of constant cross-section of the bolt
Ai - area of the ith cross-section of the bolt
Student:

(4)

Machine Elements & Mechanisms I

Laboratory

Comparing
dial gauge
Thrust ballbearing

Torque
wrench

F [N]

With ball-bearing
Mtot= Mt1

Nut

D0
Clamped
parts

Ls1

Mt2

Dc

Without ball-bearing
Mtot= Mt1 + Mt2

d0

Ls2

Bolt

Mtot [Nm]
20

F
Figure 1. Schematic of the test rig

40

60

80

Figure 2. Total torque versus axial force

In order to plot on a graph the torque versus axial force (see Figure 2), several experiments must be made
for various values of the total torque measured with a torque indicator handle wrench. Simultaneously with the
torque measurement, the axial elongation of the bolt must be measured with a dial gauge (recommended
tightening values are 20, 40, 60 and 80 Nm). For each value of the torque an average elongation must be
calculated for at least 3 consecutive measurements (linear regression can be also used to determine the average
torque-axial force dependence). Taking the values for the total torque in both cases (i) and (ii) one can easily find
the collar frictional torque, Mt2, graphically (see Figure 2). Finally, one can calculate each friction coefficient:
* thread friction coefficient, :

M t1 F (d 2 / 2) tan 2
F (d 2 / 2) + M t1 tan 2

* collar friction coefficient, c:

c =

3M t 2 Dc2 D02
F ( Dc3 D03 )

(6)

(7)

4. DIMENSIONS
According to Figure 1, we have the following dimensions:
d = 20 mm (major/nominal/ diameter of the thread);
d1 = 16.752 mm (minor/root/ diameter of the thread);
d2 = 18.376 mm (mean diameter of the thread);
p = 2.5 mm (pitch);
= 60o (flank angle);
d0 = 15.6 mm or d0 = 20 mm for the rigid bolt (shank diameter);
m = 70 mm (nut length);
Dc = 35mm (collar outer diameter);
D = 22.5 mm (thru hole diameter);
Ls1 = 96 mm; Ls2 = 162 mm (length of each bolt section);
Note that there are two similar fasteners on the test rig which differs only in bolt dimensions (one bolt is
more rigid than the other).
5. RESULTS
Fill in the table below, and plot the torque-axial force dependence.

Student:

Machine Elements & Mechanisms I

Laboratory

Tightening without ball bearing

(Direct tightening) M tot = M t1 + M t2

Tightening with ball bearing (Mt2=0)

No

Mtot =Mt1
Nmm

lave
mm

F
N

Mtot
Nmm

Bolt stiffness: k= ............

Mean thread friction coefficient,

= .......
Mean collar friction coefficient

c = .......
6. CONCLUSIONS
regarding the values of friction
coefficients and the accuracy of
the experiment

Student:

lave
mm

F
N