FLANGED BOLT COUPLING:
In shaft connection called flanged bolt couplings (see figure
above), the torque is transmitted by the shearing force 𝑃 created
in the bolts that is assumed to be uniformly distributed. For any
number of bolts, 𝑛, the torque capacity of the coupling is;
𝑇 = 𝑃𝑅𝑛 ; 𝑃 = 𝐴𝜏
𝜋𝑑 2
𝑇= 𝜏𝑅𝑛
4
If a coupling has two concentric rows of bolts, the torque capacity is;
𝑇 = 𝑃1 𝑅1 𝑛1 + 𝑃2 𝑅2 𝑛2
where:
The subscript 1 refer to bolts on the outer circle and subscript 2 refer
to bolts on the inner circle. See figure.
For rigid flanges, the shear deformations in the bolts are proportional
to their radial distances from the shaft axis. The shearing strains are
related by;
𝛾1 𝛾2
=
𝑅1 𝑅2
Using Hooke’s law for shear, 𝐺 = 𝜏 / 𝛾, we have;
𝜏1 𝜏2 𝑃1 Τ𝐴1 𝑃2 Τ𝐴2
= 𝑜𝑟 =
𝐺1 𝑅1 𝐺2 𝑅2 𝐺1 𝑅1 𝐺2 𝑅2
If the bolts on the two circles have the same area, 𝐴1 = 𝐴2, and if the
bolts are made of the same material, 𝐺1 = 𝐺2, the relation between 𝑃1 and
𝑃2 reduces to;
𝑃1 𝑃2
=
𝑅1 𝑅2
Illustrative Problem 1:
A flanged bolt coupling consist of ten 20-mm diameter bolts spaced evenly around
a bolt circle 400-mm in diameter. Determine the torque capacity of the coupling
if the allowable shearing stress in the bolt is 40 𝑀𝑃𝑎.
Given:
𝐷 = 400 − 𝑚𝑚
𝑑 = 20 − 𝑚𝑚
𝜏 = 40 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑛 = 10
Illustrative Problem 2:
A flanged bolt coupling consists of eight 10-mm diameter steel bolts on a bolt
circle 400 mm in diameter, and six 10-mm diameter steel bolts on a concentric
bolt circle 300 mm in diameter, as shown in the figure. What torque can be
applied without exceeding a shearing stress of 60 MPa in the bolts?
Given:
𝐷1 = 400 𝑚𝑚 𝐷2 = 300 𝑚𝑚 𝜏 = 60 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝑑1 = 10 𝑚𝑚 𝑑2 = 10 𝑚𝑚
𝑛1 = 8 𝑛2 = 6
Illustrative Problem 3:
A plate fastened to a fixed member by four 20-mm diameter rivets arranged
as shown in the figure, determine;
a) the maximum shear stress developed
b) the minimum shear stress developed
Given:
𝑛=4
𝑑 = 20 𝑚𝑚
Illustrative Problem 4:
A flanged bolt coupling consists of six 12-mm diameter steel bolts evenly spaced
around a bolt circle 300-mm in diameter, and four 19-mm diameter aluminum bolts
on a concentric bolt circle 200-mm in diameter. What torque can be applied
without exceeding shear stress 60 𝑀𝑃𝑎 in the steel or 40 𝑀𝑃𝑎 in the aluminum?
Assume 𝐺𝑠𝑡 = 83 𝐺𝑃𝑎 and 𝐺𝑎𝑙 = 28 𝐺𝑃𝑎.
Given:
𝐷𝑠𝑡 = 300 𝑚𝑚 𝐷𝑎𝑙 = 200 𝑚𝑚
𝑑𝑠𝑡 = 12 𝑚𝑚 𝑑𝑎𝑙 = 19 𝑚𝑚
𝑛𝑠𝑡 = 6 𝑛𝑎𝑙 = 4
𝐺𝑠𝑡 = 83 𝐺𝑃𝑎 𝐺𝑎𝑙 = 28 𝐺𝑃𝑎
𝜏𝑠𝑡 = 60 𝑀𝑃𝑎 𝜏𝑎𝑙 = 40 𝑀𝑃𝑎
