Effect of Joint Parameters, Patterns and Interference on the Bolt Loading in Composite Multi-Bolt Joints

Abstract

This paper focuses on studying the influence of joint parameters, patterns and interference-fit on the load distribution of composite multi-fastener joints. The method of finite element analysis and the displacement coordination equation (Yang, L. and Ye, L. Y., The study of the behavior of composite multibolt joints. Proc. Fifth Int. Conf. on Composite Structures, Paisley. Elsevier Science Publishers, London, 1989) are used to solve the radial forces on the contact boundary. In illustrative examples joints with three, four, seven and nine fasteners are computed. The computation results show that the nonuniformity of bolt loading cannot be ignored and the methods of increasing the line pitch or row pitch and using interference-fit bolts are more efficient for improving the nonuniform degree of bolt loading.