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Torque and Tension in Bolts
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The required torques for fastening common steel fasteners can be found in the Bolt Torque Calculator.
Torque and Tension in Bolts
Bolt, one of the most widely used fasteners in the industry, is usually tightened by applying torque to the
head and/or nut. As the bolt is tightened, it is stretched (preloaded). Preload tension is necessary to keep
the bolt tight, increase join strength, create friction between parts, and improve fatigue resistance. The
recommended preload force Fi is
For reusable connections:
For permanent connections:
where At is the tensile area of the bolt and Sp is the proof strength of the bolt. Although the above
formulae look rather straightforward, the preload tension Fi is not easy to measure or control. A common
practice is to relate the preload tension Fi to a quantity that is easier to measure, the applied torque T. This
torque, usually achieved by a torque wrench, the turnofnut, or an indicating washer, is
where d is the nominal outside diameter of the bolt and K is the correction factor that depends on the
material, size, surface friction, and threading of the bolt. For most small to mid size bolts, K is between
0.15 and 0.3.
As a rough approximation:
dry (unlubricated) midsize steel bolts: K = 0.2
nonplated black finish: K = 0.3
zincplated: K = 0.2
cadmiumplated: K = 0.16
lubricated: K = 0.15 ~ 0.18
A more complicated torque formula is given as
where P is the lead (pitch) of the thread, Db is the average mean diameter of the bolt, Dn is the average
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23/01/2015 eFunda: Torque and Tension in Bolts
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