Inversion of Pretightening Force on Bolts by FEA and Its Application

Defining the magnitude of pretightening force on bolts precisely is one problem that puzzled the designer for a long time. Magnitude of pretightening force on bolts defined by traditional method is not accurate. In this paper, an inversion on FEA to determine the magnitude of pretightening force on bolts is introduced. By FEA, an inversion can define the pretightening force on bolts in special structure easily and quickly. Finally, the application conditions of this inversion are discussed.