Why Bolts Loosen

8o|led lare jo|rl |ea|s |ave a|Ways oeer a proo|er. lr

l|e pasl, ||ll|e Was dore lo lry lo e||r|rale l|e proo|er. NeW
as|el raler|a|s ard sore reW oo|l|r lec|r|ques |ave rade
sore |rprovererls. 8ul |r ||| lerperalure / ||| pressure
app||cal|ors, l|e proo|er sl||| ex|sls.
Pr|or lo 1990, a l|are Was cors|dered |ea||r |l l|e |ea| rale
Was 10,000 PPV or realer. urder loday's reW ru|es, a |ea|
rusl oe repa|red |l l|e |ea| rale |s 500 PPV or aoove. T||s rale
car ever oe |oWer deperd|r or l|e process |r l|e sysler ard
vary|r slale ard |oca| reu|al|ors.
Nol or|y rusl l|e lare oe |ea| lree al |rsla||al|or, |l rusl
ra|rla|r a |ea| rale ol 500 PPV or oe|oW lor a |orer per|od
ol l|re. T||s |s due lo l|e EPA's ror|lor|r reu|al|ors or
Fu|l|ve Er|ss|ors.
F|are jo|rls ercorpass corverl|ora| AN3l p|pe lares,
|eal exc|arers |eaders, luoe s|eel, s||l aes, rarWays,
|ard|o|es, va|ve oorrels ard a|rosl ary oo|led as|eled jo|rl.
A oo|led lare jo|rl |ea|s W|er l|e raler|a| corla|red |r l|e
sysler escapes l|rou| l|e as|el pores or arourd l|e as|el
ard l|e lare lace. T||s usua||y occurs oecause l|e |oad or l|e
as|el |as la||er oe|oW |ls r|r|rur sea| pressure. Preverl|r
lare |ea|s car oe a d|llcu|l las|. ll |s recessary lo ra|rla|r
l|e corlacl pressure aoove l|e r|r|rur sea| pressure oelWeer
l|e lare ard l|e as|el surlaces. T||s rusl oe dore |r|l|a||y,
as l|e as|el ard oo|ls re|ax, ard a|so as l|e lerperalure ard
pressure ol l|e corla|red process c|ares.
T|e |r|l|a| pre|oad car oe alla|red oy us|r severa| lr|ed ard
lrue rel|ods. T|e proo|er |s ra|rla|r|r l||s pre|oad l|rou|
l|e ||le ol l|e jo|rl. T||s paper d|scuss l|e ra|r laclors l|al
cause oo|led lare jo|rls lo |ea| ard |oW ard W|y l|e use ol
3o|or F|are was|ers (spec|a||y er|reered 8e||ev|||e spr|rs
lor ||| lerperalure lare app||cal|ors) car preverl lare
|ea|s ard reduce Fu|l|ve Er|ss|ors.
Embedment Relaxation
w|er reW sluds ard ruls are lrsl l||lered, ool| l|e slud
ard rul l|reads ard l|e jo|rl corlacl surlaces, corlacl eac|
ol|er or|y or r|croscop|c ||| spols. T|ese ||| spols W||| oe
ross|y over|oaded, We|| oeyord l|e|r y|e|d po|rl. T|erelore,
p|asl|c loW W||| corl|rue url|| l|e corlacl area |rcreases
sullc|erl|y lo slao|||ze or slop l|e y|e|d|r process, re|ax|r
l|e |oad or l|e oo|l. T||s car accourl lor as ruc| as 5 - 10
|oss |r |r|l|a| pre|oad. Rel||ler|r l|e parls car parl|a||y
corpersale lor l||s lype ol re|axal|or. Eroedrerl re|axal|or
|s v|rlua||y uravo|dao|e ard carrol oe preverled, oul you car
corpersale lor |l.
Gasket Creep
Vosl as|els are rade ol p|asl|c or ser| p|asl|c raler|a|s. T|ey
rusl delorr lo do l|e joo |rlerded. L||e ary p|asl|c raler|a|,
l|ey W||| creep ard loW W|er lrsl suojecled lo ||| surlace
|oads. Vosl ol l|e as|els used loday |r ||| lerperalure ard
||| pressure app||cal|ors |ave reasorao|e |oad|r curves
ard la|r|y sleep ur|oad|r curves. (F|ure 1) 8ecause ol l||s,
ever l|e s|||lesl |oss |r |oad car cause a jo|rl lo la|| oe|oW
l|e r|r|rur sea| pressure. L||e eroedrerl re|axal|or, as|el
creep |s uravo|dao|e.
Figure 1
Why Do Gasketed Joints Leak?
By: George Davet, BSME, Vice President and Chief Engineer
Solon Manufacturing Company
Load Deformation Curve
304 SS Asbestos Filled Gasket
Figure 2
F|ure 2 |||uslrales l|e ellecl or l|e ur|oad|r ol a as|eled
lare jo|rl us|r 8e||ev|||e spr|rs. 3o|or F|are was|ers
corpersale lor l|e as|el re|axal|or sullc|erl|y lo ra|rla|r
l|e jo|rl corpress|or We|| aoove l|e r|r|rur sea| pressure.
Bolt Creep
8o|led lare jo|rls |r ||| lerperalure serv|ce W||| |ave a
reducl|or |r lers|or due lo a reducl|or ol l|e Your's Vodu|us
ard W||| re|ax W|l| l|re. T||s |s |r add|l|or lo l|e |r|l|a|
eroedrerl ard as|el re|axal|or. F|ure 3 |||uslrales l||s
reducl|or |r oo|l lers|or al 1000 |ours versus l|e oo|l
operal|r lerperalures.
Figure 3
Vibration
v|oral|or car a|so oe a laclor caus|r lare jo|rls lo |ea|.
Looser|r due lo v|oral|or slarls al a very |oW rale ard a
very radua| re|axal|or lror l|e or||ra| pre|oad.
(F|ure 1) w|er l|e pre|oad lers|or la||s oe|oW a cr|l|ca|
va|ue, l|e re|axal|or rale |rcreases, ard l|e rul ray ever
rolale ard lurl|er |ooser l|e jo|rl.
Figure 4
Elastic Interactions
0as|eled oo|led jo|rls s|ou|d oe pallerr l||lered |r slaes.
lrreu|ar l||ler|r or |oad|r car d|slorl ard darae l|e
lare ard as|el. lr l|eory, ore s|ou|d l||ler a|| oo|ls
s|ru|lareous|y. T||s |s very d|llcu|l lo do |r pracl|ce. T|erelore,
a rore
pracl|ca|
procedure
|s lo l||ler
a|| l|e slud
oo|ls |r
slaes. T||s
|s usua||y
dore oy us|r a cross pallerr sequerce arourd l|e oo|l
pallerr. T|e lrsl pass |s l||lered lo approx|rale|y 30 ol
l|e lra| des|red pre|oad. T|e secord pass |s dore us|r 0
ol l|e lra| pre|oad, ard l|e sare oo|l|r sequerce. T|e l||rd
pass |s dore us|r 100 ol l|e lra| pre|oad, aa|r us|r l|e
sare sequerce.
E|asl|c lrleracl|or |s a p|eroreror W||c| occurs oelWeer
oo|ls ard jo|rl reroers as a roup ol oo|ls are l||lered.
w|er l|e lrsl oo|l |r a jo|rl |s l||lered, l|e oo|l |s slrelc|ed
ard l|e jo|rl |s parl|a||y corpressed. w|er ar adjacerl oo|l
|s l||lered, l|e jo|rl |r l|e v|c|r|ly ol l|e lrsl oo|l |s lurl|er
corpressed. T||s a||oWs l|e lrsl oo|l lo re|ax. Ever |l a
perlecl |r|l|a| pre|oad |ad oeer ac||eved or l|ese oo|ls, or|y
l|e secord oo|l Wou|d |ave l|al pre|oad. T|ese |oad |osses,
deperd|r or l|e sl|llress ol l|e jo|rl, ray oe 50 lo 0 ol
l|e or||ra| oo|l lers|or. Jusl l|e l||ler|r ol l|e secord oo|l
e||r|rales sore ol l|e pre|oad ol l|e lrsl oo|l. T|e arourl ol
l|e e|asl|c |rleracl|or deperds or l|e s|ze ol l|e jo|rl, l|e lype
ol as|el used, l|e d|slarce oelWeer oo|ls, ard l|e sl|llress
Tightening Bolt
Will Loosen Bolt
A
or
C
B
304 SS Asbestos Filled Gasket
Vibration Joint Loosening
Stress Relaxation - 1000 Hours
as a Function of Bolt Temperature
ASTM A193 B7 Stud
ol l|e reroers. F|ure 5 s|oWs l|e re|axal|or ol a s|r|e oo|l
us|r l||s procedure.
Figure 5
lr l|e everl a|| sluds are l||lered s|ru|lareous|y,
re|axal|or car ard W||| occur aller l|e lra| l||ler|r. T||s
|s s|oWr |r F|ure .
Figure 6
Arol|er proo|er l|al occurs W|er l||ler|r oo|led
as|eled jo|rls, |s l|e |rcors|slerl pre|oad oelWeer a|| l|e
oo|ls. T||s |s l|ou|l lo occur oecause ol oo|l re|axal|or ard
e|asl|c |rleracl|or. T||s |rcors|slercy or scaller seers lo oe
a corror proo|er W|l| jo|rls l|al are l||lered us|r
lorque corlro|.
Figure 7
F|ure Z |s a p|ol ol l|e res|dua| pre|oad ol a lare W|l|
1 1 |rc| oo|ls. T|e oo|ls Were lorqued us|r l|e rel|od
prev|ous|y rerl|ored. Veasurererls Were la|er aller eac|
pass. T|e saWlool| pallerr |s l|e resu|l ol re|axal|or ard
e|asl|c |rleracl|or oelWeer l|e oo|ls. T||s saWlool| pallerr
rera|red ever aller lour add|l|ora| c|oc|W|se passes al a
lorque ol 2Z5 ll. |os.
Figure 8
F|ure 8 s|oWs ar add|l|ora| p|ol ol l||s sare lare W|l|
3o|or F|are was|ers (8e||ev|||e spr|rs) added lo eac|
oo|l. T|e add|l|or ol l|ese reduces l|e pre|oad scaller ard
rear|y e||r|rales l|e saWlool| oo|l lers|or pallerr.
Differential Thermal Expansion
As lerperalures r|se rosl raler|a|s expard. lr a lare jo|rl
l|e |eal |s usua||y cor|r lror l|e process |r l|e sysler.
3|rce l|e as|el ard l|e lare are |r c|oser corlacl W|l| l|e
process slrear, l|ey |eal up lasler l|ar l|e oo|ls. T||s rears
l|al l|e jo|rl reroers are expard|r rore l|ar l|e oo|ls.
Pattern of Residual Preload
Pattern of Residual Preload
Gasket Joint Relaxation
Gasket Joint Relaxation
Fourded |r 1919, 3o|or Varulaclur|r Corpary er|reers ard rarulaclures 3o|or 8e||ev|||e 3pr|rs

ard lrduslr|a| Pressure

Corlro|s lor a var|ely ol |rduslr|es Wor|dW|de. 3ourd er|reer|r resu|l|r |r pracl|ca| arsWers |s l|e oas|s upor W||c| 3o|or
des|rs ard rarulaclures a|| ol |ls producls.
3o|or's 8e||ev|||e 3pr|r 0|v|s|or carr|es a W|de rare ol 8e||ev|||e spr|rs ard lare Was|ers |r a var|ely ol raler|a|s ard coal|rs
lor use |r app||cal|ors W|ere ||| spr|r |oads are requ|red |r a very sra|| space. 3o|or's lrduslr|a| Corlro|s 0|v|s|or carr|es a
corp|ele ||re ol slardard ard cuslor er|reered pressure corlro|s suc| as vacuur, d|llererl|a|, |ydrau||c, oe||oWs-aclualed,
d|ap|rar-aclualed, p|slor-aclualed, exp|os|or-prool, aue |rd|cal|r ard lerperalure-corpersaled.
For rore |rlorral|or, lec|r|ca| papers ard spec|lcal|ors, v|s|l our Weos|le al WWW.so|orrl.cor.
Belleville Springs and Industrial Controls

425 Center St., P.O. Box 207

Chardon, Ohio 44024
440-286-7149 800-323-9717 Fax 440-286-9047
www.solonmfg.com solon@solonmfg.com
www. solonmfg. com
T||s |rcreases l|e lers|or |r l|e oo|ls ard |rcreases l|e |oad
or l|e as|el. T|e exlra |oad or l|e as|el corpresses |l
rore l|ar |l Was dur|r assero|y, W||c| occurred al aro|erl
lerperalures. ll l|e sysler cyc|es ard l|e jo|rl coo|s doWr, l|e
jo|rl reroers W||| relurr lo l|e|r or||ra| l||c|ress. 3|rce l|e
as|el Was lurl|er corpressed ard |l |s rol lu||y e|asl|c, |l
carrol relurr lo |ls |r|l|a| corpressed l||c|ress. T||s a||oWs l|e
oo|l lo re|ax, ard sore ol l|e |r|l|a| oo|l |oad |s |osl. ll l||s |eal|r
ard coo||r repeals erou| l|res, |l car reduce l|e |r|l|a| oo|l
|oad ard as|el |oad lo a po|rl l|al l|e lare W||| |ea|. 3o|or
F|are was|ers car oe used lo e||r|rale l|e ellecls ol d|ller-
erl|a| l|erra| expars|or. T|e rovererl |r l|e jo|rl |s la|er up
oy l|e rovererl ol l|e lare Was|er, ard l|e |oad or l|e oo|l
ard as|el W||| sl||| oe aoove |ls r|r|rur sea| pressure. Ar
add|l|ora| oerell ol us|r 3o|or F|are was|ers |s l|al l|ey
ray rol reed lo oe relorqued aller l|e sysler |as core up
lo operal|r lerperalure. A|so, sore lares car roW oe
|rsu|aled l|al cou|d rol prev|ous|y oe |rsu|aled.
Summary
0as|eled jo|rls ray |ea| due lo a var|ely ol reasors. 0re
ol l|e rosl preva|erl causes |s due lo a |oss ol oo|l pre|oad.
T|ere are rary
rel|ods used lo
corpersale lor l|e
var|ous laclors Wor||r lo reduce l|e |r|l|a| oo|l |oad ard as|el
|oad or a oo|led jo|rl. 3ore are oeller l|ar ol|ers, oul rore
ol l|er do ruc| lo ra|rla|r l|e |oads reeded lo preverl l|e
jo|rl lror |ea||r orce l|e sysler |s |r operal|or ard cyc||r
lor ary arourl ol l|re. 3o|or F|are was|ers are corslarl|y
Wor||r lo ra|rla|r a l||l, |ea| lree jo|rl. T|ey do l||s oy
|rcreas|r l|e e|asl|c|ly ol l|e oo|l|r sysler oller oy a laclor
ol Z lo 15. w|er cors|der|r l|e a|lerral|ves, l|e use ol 3o|or
F|are was|ers |s l|e rosl ecoror|ca| rel|od lo reduce
oo|led lare jo|rl |ea|s, l|us reduc|r lu|l|ve er|ss|ors.
George Davet, BSME is Vice President and Chief Engineer for Solon Manufacturing Co., a manufacturer of
Belleville Springs and Industrial Controls in Chardon, Ohio. George has written and published numerous articles
on the application of Belleville Springs. He can be reached at gdavet@solonmfg.com or 800-323-9717. For
technical papers, visit www.solonmfg.com.
Solon Manufacturing Co. 2007
used with permission
References
1. 8|c|lord, J., 'Ar lrlroducl|or lo l|e 0es|r ard 8e|av|or ol 8o|led Jo|rls
2. 8|c|lord, J., 'u|lrasor|c Corlro| ol 8o|l Load, Rayrord Er|reer|r lrc.
3. 8|c|lord, J., '8o|led Jo|rls w||c| Lea|, T|e 0|slr|oulors L|r|
1. 8|c|lord, J., 'T|al lr|l|a| Pre|oad- w|al lappers To ll?, Vec|ar|ca| Er|reer|r
5. 8|c|lord, J., '8o|l Torque: 0ell|r |l R||l, Vac||re 0es|r
. w|rler, J. Rora|d, '0as|el 3e|ecl|or - A F|oWc|arl Approac|
Z. Payre, J|r, '8o|led Jo|rl lrprovererl T|rou| 0as|el Perlorrarce Tesls NPRA Corlererce
8. A3V Vela|s lardooo|, vo|. 1, Properl|es ard 3e|ecl|ors ol Valer|a|s
9. 1990 Federa| C|ear A|r Acl Arerdrerls, (FCCA) T|l|e 1- lazardous A|r Po||ularls
10. w. C. 0llull P.E., L|ve |oad|r ol F|are Jo|rls lo Preverl Lea|s ard Fu|l|ve Er|ss|ors
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