Airfield. Our Field.

How to Determine the Proper Torque

for Bolted Connections Used in
In-pavement Airfield Lighting Applications

By Ed Runyon
Advanced Technology Manager
ADB Airfield Solutions
Columbus, OH, USA
ed.runyon@adb-air.com

There has been much discussion over the years regarding the proper torque that should be used for airfield
in-pavement fixture bolts, especially when lubricant is put on the bolt. Manufacturers of in-pavement
fixtures usually recommend that a thread-locking material is applied to stainless steel hold-down bolts
to minimize the risk of the bolts coming loose. But it is well known that many airports instead use a
lubricant to make it easier to insert and remove the bolt, especially since maintenance people are often
under time pressure to repair or replace an in-pavement light. This article provides a method that allows
the user to determine the proper torque for an in-pavement bolt in the maintenance shop before going to
the field to install the bolts.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this paper is to define what
a bolted connection is comprised of, what
is happening when a bolt is tightened, and
how we as airfield lighting manufacturers,
contractors, and airport operators can
ensure that airfield in-pavement fixture
bolts are torqued properly.

ENGINEERING OF A BOLTED
CONNECTION

Missing washer

To give you an example of what a typical

problem is, see photos to the right of
several fixtures at an actual installation.
Some of the hold-down bolts are missing
anti-vibration washers, some of these
fixtures were loose and, even worse, some
had both loose bolts and no washers.

Loose Bolt

1
ADB Tech Corner Updated Oct. 2014
www.adb-air.com

There are countless examples of bolted

connections: pressure vessels, wheelto-hubs, rocket engine casings and, of
course, in-pavement airfield lighting
fixtures.

ADB TECH CORNER BOLTED CONNECTIONS FOR IN-PAVEMENT AIRFIELD LIGHTING

One of the first things an engineer must

do when designing a bolted connection is
to determine the required clamping force.
Clamp force resists the shear load of the
fixture.
For in-pavement lighting, its a little easier
to determine because there is already a
requirement for clamping force that can
be derived from FAA Advisory Circular
150/5345-46 and FAA Engineering Brief 83.

13,400 lbs./6 is approximately 2,300 lbs. per bolt.

But think of the initial situation previously discussed: loose bolts. With a safety
factor of only two, if there are 3 loose bolts, we barely meet the shear force
requirement.

The following examples show what happens when loose bolts are present:

So what do we mean by derived?

Essentially, this is the bolt clamp force
needed to resist the 3,000 lb. shear load
required by AC 150/5345-46.
To calculate the clamp force required
to meet this requirement, you would
use the simple formula:
Fp = Shear / coefficient of friction
(static).

Damaged holes: note decent bite

marks from anti-vibration washer (but
that could have been from a previous
installation where the fixture may
have been removed and re-installed).

Shiny marks on aluminum top cover

from fixture moving around (this
is more common than you think on
returned materials)

No bite marks from anti-vibration

washers. This could have been caused
by a number of things including a
missing bolt, using a flat washer, or
not tightening the bolt properly.

Use of a split washer, which digs into

the fixture as it moves around.

For an aluminum fixture on a steel base

can, the coefficient of static friction is
approximately 0.45.
Fp = 3,000 / 0.45 = 6,700 lbs.
Therefore, we find we require a minimum
of 6,700 lbs. of total clamping force to
resist the required shear load. To be
conservative, we use a safety factor of
two. The total force now is 6,700 x 2 =
13,400 lbs.
Sounds like a lot, right? Not really. Clamping
and shear force is spread over six (6) bolts
on a 12-inch in-pavement fixture.

2
ADB Tech Corner Updated Oct. 2014
www.adb-air.com

ADB TECH CORNER BOLTED CONNECTIONS FOR IN-PAVEMENT AIRFIELD LIGHTING

Bolts develop their strength because

they are stretched; its similar to how a
rubber band works. Too little stretch and
the rubber band is not strong enough. Too
much and the rubber band breaks.

and consistent force. Alternately, using

just the right amount of torque-tension
means the bolt applies constant and
consistent force to the in-pavement
fixture.
If the rubber band is wound properly
or the proper torque is applied to the
bolt, the joint can withstand the forces
properly. If it is tensioned properly, it will
not come loose.

Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)
Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

All of these field issues, not to mention

broken bolts in base cans, occur due to
improper torquing. Have you heard of or
experienced broken bolts in cans? Think
how long it takes to remove or drill with
a jig, re-tap or use helicoils or keenserts.
This could have been easily prevented by
properly torquing the bolts.

Yield Point
Fracture
Tensile Point

Strain (change in length)

The Yield Point is the change from elastic

to plastic. Note the slope/angle change of
the line as it moves over the yield point.
This is because the material changes
length (its stretching) but stress does not
increase as fast.

Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

Lets talk about the stress-strain diagram

seen below. The diagram may seem
complex, but in reality the concept is
very simple. The curve plots the change in
length (strain) versus the change in tension
(stress).

Now imagine applying a force to pull your

fingers apart, or alternately imagine an
aircraft wheel turning over an in-pavement
light. We notice that the rubber band
stretches the same way the bolt does.
But, in our example, not enough force is
being applied to keep the connection tight!

Using just the right amount of tension

means the rubber band applies constant
Images: Copyright Fastener Training Institute

3
ADB Tech Corner Updated Oct. 2014
www.adb-air.com

Load

The Ultimate Tensile Strength is the point

where the material is the strongest. It is
as strong as it can be. Pulling any further
actually weakens the bolt up to
Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)

Load

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength
Yield Point
Fracture
Tensile Point

Load

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength

Strain (change in length)

Load

Yield Point
Fracture
Tensile Point

Strain (change in length)

the Fracture Point, which is where the

material actually breaks and the curve ends.
Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)

Load

For any material, there is a stress-strain

curve, and it is divided into 2 distinct
sections: the Elastic Range and the
Plastic Range (See diagram at top of next
column).
The elastic range is exactly like it sounds.
The material can bounce back to its
original length as long as its not stretched
into the plastic range.

Again, bolts develop their strength because

they are stretched.

Fracture
Tensile Point

The plastic range is when the material

is stretched and it will not return to its
original length. Another way to think about
this is that it is similar to a childs balloon
when you stretch it a few times to make
it longer it doesnt return to its original
length.

Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)

Yield Point

Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

So, how does stress-strain affect a bolted

connection?

Load

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength

Strain (change in length)

Load

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength
Yield Point
Fracture
Tensile Point

Strain (change in length)

Load

The most important conclusion we can

learn from this curve is that we want to
stay in the Elastic area. This stretches the
bolt to provide the correct pre-load, but
does not stretch it beyond its Yield Point.
Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)
Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

Now imagine snugging up a rubber band,

or tightening a bolt.

Load

Now note the following points:

Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)

Similarly, a bolt/nut can be thought of

as rubber band. It can also be thought of
as a very heavy spring. If the bolt/nut is
tensioned properly, it will not come loose.

Load

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength

Load

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength
Yield Point
Fracture
Tensile Point

Strain (change in length)

Load

ADB TECH CORNER BOLTED CONNECTIONS FOR IN-PAVEMENT AIRFIELD LIGHTING

Table 1
Mechanical Properties of Common Stainless Steel Fasteners in Accordance with ASTM F593

Now that you are familiar with stressstrain, lets look at the 3/8-16 Stainless
Steel (SS) fasteners that are used to hold
down in-pavement lights. 304 SS bolts are
typically used with in-pavement lights.

Stainless
Alloy
Group

Condition

Nominal
Dia. (in.)

Tensile
Strength
(psi)

Core Hardness Rockwell

Min.

Max.

Min. Yield
Strength
(psi)

1
(303, 304,
304L,
305L,
384, XM1,
18-9LW,
302HQ,
303Se)

CW

1/4 - 5/8

100,000150,000

B95

C32

65,000

85,000140,000

B80

2
(316,
316L)

CW

100,000150,000

B95

85,000140,000

B80

CW

CW

3/4 - 5/8

1/4 - 5/8

3/4 - 1 1/2

Table 1 to the right shows the material

properties of a 304 SS bolt.
ASTM (American Society of Testing and
Materials) F593 lists typical properties
of fasteners in a chart as shown to the
right. The first row of this chart is what
we are concerned with: 304 SS Bolts; 3/8
diameter.

F593C

C32

45,000
F593D

C32

65,000
F593G

C32

45,000
F593H

CW: headed and rolled from annealed or solution-annealed stock

Table 2

Note that the Tensile Strength for a 304

SS bolt is in the range of 100,000 psi
to 150,000 psi and the Minimum Yield
Strength is 65,000 psi (Table 2).
Lets now calculate what a 3/8-16 SS bolt
can withstand.
To calculate the tensile strength of a bolt,
the formula that is used is P = St x As
where:
P = Tensile Load (lbs.)

Table 3

St = Minimum Yield Strength (psi)

Mechanical Properties of Common Stainless Steel Fasteners in Accordance with ASTM F593

As = Tensile stress area of the bolt

(square-inches)

Stain-

Condition

Nominal

less Alloy
Dia.- (in.)
St = 65,000
psi (Table 3). For a 3/8
16
bolt,Group
As = 0.0775 sq. inches (which is
looked up in a published table). Therefore,
the maximum tensile load before yield =
1
CW
1/4 - 5/8
65,000 x 0.0775 = 5,037 lbs.

(303, 304,
Given304L,
that the maximum tensile load of
305L,bolt before yield = 5,037 lbs.,
a 3/8-16
recall384,
fromXM1,
before CW
that each of the
(6)
3/4six
-5/8
bolts18-9LW,
in a 12-inch in-pavement fixture must
withstand
2,300 lbs.
302HQ,
303Se)
However, it can withstand 5,000 lbs.
without
so the
2 permanently
CWdeforming,1/4
- 5/8
safety
factor is about 2 here as well.
(316,

316L)

Image: Courtesy of JaquithCW

Industries Inc.

4
ADB Tech Corner Updated Oct. 2014
www.adb-air.com

3/4 - 1
1/2

Tensile
Strength
(psi)

Core Hardness Rockwell

Min.

Max.

Min. Yield
Strength
(psi)

100,000150,000

B95

C32

65,000

85,000140,000

B80

100,000150,000

B95

85,000140,000

B80

Grade
Identification
Marking

F593C

C32

45,000
F593D

C32

65,000
F593G

C32

Grade
Identification
Marking

45,000
F593H

ADB TECH CORNER BOLTED CONNECTIONS FOR IN-PAVEMENT AIRFIELD LIGHTING

TORQUE AND TENSION

Now lets talk about torque and tension.
In a bolted connection, the installer
provides torque via wrench or screwdriver
and the bolt becomes tensioned due to the
wedge effect between the thread pitch
and the nut.

So how do we know what torque to

make proper tension?
We use a torque-tension meter like the
one pictured below: The Skidmore Model
P. This meter is calibrated for pounds of
force for a 3/8 diameter bolt and is very
simple to use.
Mount the torque-tension meter on a
solid surface. Insert a sample bolt/washer
through the hole in the bottom of the
meter. Then thread a nut on the back side
of the bolt.

What would be easier to push: this

concrete block on asphalt, or the same
concrete block on asphalt with the bottom
lubricated with motor oil? Obviously, using
the oil would make it easier to push.

Using a torque-tension meter such as the

one shown below, you tighten the bolt
while the meter measures the tension on
the bolt.

Why? The oil lowers the amount of friction

between the concrete and the asphalt.
Bolts/nuts coated with anti-seize or
lubrication are essentially the same.

This tension reading is then compared

to the torque reading provided by the
calibrated torque wrench.

Using an anti-seize, find the torque

required to properly tension the bolt.
Previously, it was 185 in-lbs. dry.

In-pavement light fixtures require

approximately 2,300 lbs. of tension, using
dry 3/8-16 SS bolts. Approximately 185
in-lbs. (21 N-m) is required to tension the
bolt to 2,300 lbs.

Now, if you lubricate the thread with

commercially available lubricant like
Loctite 51609 and repeat the Torque
Tension test, the result is 2,300 lbs. This
requires a torque of approximately 140
in-lbs.

Do you know what a typical requirement

is for a car wheel lug? Typically 100 ft-lbs.
(i.e. 1200 in-lbs.) or more than 6 times
tighter!
So what is the torque required to hit
the 5,037 lbs. of tension which is the
yield point? Its about 400 in-lbs. This is
approximately 35 ft-lbs. (45 N-m).
The more torque is applied, the more
tension and more stretch is gained. But
only up until the Yield Point!

Now look at the picture of a concrete

block on asphalt.

Beyond the Yield Point the bolt stretches

and will not return to its original length.

Stress (PSI)
Tension (lbs.)

Elastic Range
(ProofLoad)

Going one step further, tighten to 185 inlbs. but with lubrication. You will now see
that the tension is 3,200 lbs. This is OK in
this instance because you are going higher
up the stress-strain curve (closer to yield
point). However, if you are exceeding the
yield, the threads on the bolt stretch.
Ever notice one bolt threads into one nut,
but not into another one? This is because
the thread is stretched to the point that
its not 20 threads per inch anymore
(0.050 between threads). Instead it may
be 19 threads per inch (0.053 between
threads) and that will cause interference.

Plastic Range
Ultimate Tensile
Strength
Yield Point
Fracture
Tensile Point

Strain (change in length)

Top Image: Copyright Fastener Training Institute

Bottom Images: Courtesy Skidmore-Wilhelm

5
ADB Tech Corner Updated Oct. 2014
www.adb-air.com

Torque-tension meter

Calibrated torque wrench

ADB TECH CORNER BOLTED CONNECTIONS FOR IN-PAVEMENT AIRFIELD LIGHTING

Table 4 shows some data comparing a dry

SS bolt with some commercially available
Loctite lubricants and also compared with
the orange ceramic bolts described in
the FAA Engineering Brief 83. You can see
the difference in torque values, but the
tension is the same.

Table 4
Measured Torque Values
3/8 - 16 Bolt Material

Anti-seize

Tension (lbs.)

Torque Value in-lb

(Note 1)

S30400 (304 SS)

Loctite 77124 Nickel

2450

148 10

S30400 (304 SS)

Loctite 51609 HD

2450

144 10

S30400 (304 SS)

Loctite 37230 Silver

2450

133 10

LSO1-2416 x 1.75
orange ceramic

none

2450

144 10

Note 1: These torque values assume the following:

Loctite 51609 HD

Orange ceramic bolt

A new bolt and anti-vibration

washer is used.
The anti-vibration washer is
installed properly.
The base can threads are clean.
There is full thread engagement.

A FAA certified base can is being

used.
A metal-to-metal fixture-tobase can mating surface is
present.
The mating surface is clean
and flat.

The type of bolts indicated in

Table 4 are being used.
A calibrated torque wrench is
being used to tighten the bolt.

It is also assumed that the bolts have been inspected for proper torque according
to FAA and manufacturers recommendations.

SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED

QUESTIONS

Q:What if the thread in my base can is

corroded? I torque the bolt down and
it doesnt go all the way.

A: The recommended torque values

are only for clean threads. Chase the

threads / re-tap the threads in the
base can to clean. If the required
torque is achieved before the bolt
is tight against the top cover of the
in-pavement light, something is wrong.
Remove bolt, chase thread in can,
and replace bolt with a new one and
try again.

Q: What if I have a new base can and

there is galvanizing material in
the threads?

A: This issue is the same as above:

chase the threads to remove the extra

galvanizing material.

Q: How do the 2-piece (anti-vibration)

washers work?

A: The 2 piece washers work by keeping

tension on the bolts as opposed to

friction between bolt and washer.
They must be installed with the
smaller teeth toward the bolt and
the fixture, and the larger teeth
must be face-to-face. The washers
work because of these larger teeth.
Their angle is steeper than the angle
of the threads.

6
ADB Tech Corner Updated Oct. 2014
www.adb-air.com

More information from the following

manufacturers of anti-vibration washers
can be found here: http://www.nord-lock.
com/products/wedge-locking/washers/
introduction/ and http://heico-lock.us/

By Ed Runyon
Advanced Technology Manager
ADB Airfield Solutions
ed.runyon@adb-air.com

PROCEDURE FOR USE OF

TORQUE-TENSION METER IN
ON THE AIRFIELD

Author Profile:
Ed Runyon has a Bachelors Degree

In conclusion, following is the procedure

you would use on the airfield to determine
the proper fixture torque using the local
batch of bolts and using the local bolt
lubricant:

in Electrical Engineering and has

Determine in-pavement fixture bolt

tension requirement (2,300 lbs. for in-
pavement airfield fixtures)

Engineering Manager and Advanced

Select anti-seize or lubricant (if used).

Sample using calibrated torque-tension
meter along with calibrated torque
wrench. Note that this is tested in the
shop and not on the airfield.
With different bolt/lubricant/nut
combinations, re-check tension using
selected torque value.
Install fixtures using calibrated torque
wrench.
After installation, re-verify torque-
tension on another bolt/lube/nut to
ensure torque wrench still operational.

worked in airfield lighting at

ADB Airfield Solutions since 1981
in various positions, including
Technology Manager.
He was responsible for the
development of the companys
first Airport Lighting Computer
System (ALCS) and was the primary
inventor of its first BRITE power
line carrier system. He has served
on various FAA committees,
including the ones that developed
the Runway Guard Light, the L-890
ALCMS specification and also the
LED Engineering Brief 67.