Influence of Symmetry of Tightened Parts on the Force in a Bolted Joint

This article discusses the issue of force behavior in a pre-tensioned bolt that is part of a symmetrical flange connection, loaded with an operating load parallel to the bolt axis. The first part describes the issue being dealt with in detail. The next part offers a brief description of the generally known theoretical approach to the solution, and also outlines the limitations of this approach. This part is followed by a theoretical analysis of working load behavior in the bolt of the analyzed device, using Finite Element Method (FEM). In this article, a comparison of several different approaches to the solution can be also found, followed by a description of the experiment preparation and its results. The obtained values also serve as a subject for reverse iterative analysis carried out using ANSYS software. The aim is to find a proper modification to the symmetric calculation model that would be consistent with the results of measurements from technical practice. All results achieved are described in the final part of the article.