Joint Stiffness

A typical joint is composed of two components, the fastener and

the members. Each has a stiffness that contributes to the overall
stiffness of the joint, and are identified in the figure.

Fastener Stiffness

The fastener generally consists of two distinct sections, the
threaded and the unthreaded. The overall stiffness of the fastener
is determined by modeling each segment as a spring and noting
that they are springs in series, so the overall stiffness is determined from the relation

1 2
1 1 1
k k k
+

Definitions of the fastener length (L), the grip length (
G
L ), overall thread length (
T
L ), threaded length within
the grip region (
t
l ), fastener diameter (d), washer thickness (t or
w
t ), etc. is given in Table 8-7 (p 462) of the
text for through-the-thickness fasteners (side a) and non-through-the thickness fasteners (side b). For
fasteners with long threaded regions the stiffness of the threaded region is

t
T
t
A E
k
l


The stiffness in the unthreaded region of a fastener is given by

d
d
d
A E
k
l


In these two expressions:
t
A = tensile-stress area of the fastener (Tables 8-1 and 8.2 on pp 448 and 449)

t
l = length of the threaded portion of the grip

d
A = major-diameter cross-sectional area of the fastener

d
l = length of the unthreaded portion in the grip
E = elastic modulus of the bolt material

Therefore, the estimated effective stiffness of the fastener in the clamped region of the joint (
b
k ) is given by

2 2
1 1 1
t d t d d t
T d t d t d t d d t t d d t
b T d T d t d t d t d t d
t d t d
A E A E Al E A l E
k k l l l l Al E A l E Al A l
k k k k k A A E A E A E A A E A A E
l l l l
+
+
+ + +
+
_ _

, ,


As a result

t d
b
t d d t
A A E
k
Al A l

+



Members
Fastener


Member Stiffness

The stiffness of the member is determined by considering the effective spring rate of each component of the
member. For joints with multiple members, this accomplished by considering a number of springs in series.
For a joint consisting of n members we have


1 2
1 1 1 1
m n
k k k k
+ + +

The general expression for the stiffness of a frustrum is given by

( )( )
( )( )
tan
2 tan
ln
2 tan
Ed
k
t D d D d
t D d D d

+ +
+ +


It is generally accepted that
o
30 should be used for
most cases. As a result


( )( )
( )( )
0.577
1.15
ln
1.15
Ed
k
t D d D d
t D d D d

+ +
+ +


This equation is solved for each frustrum in a joint and
the results are combined in order to define the member
stiffness
m
k . For example, assume a joint with two members. The total thickness of the joint is
1 2
h t t + . In
order to identify the number of frustra in the joint;

1. Locate the mid-plane of the
joint at / 2 h .
2. Construct two equilateral
triangles, one above the
mid-plane and one blow the
mid-plane.
3. The washer diameter is
generally taken as a
reference point of the top
and bottom surfaces of the
joint from which
construction of the triangles
is begun. A general rule of
thumb is that the washer
diameter is 1.5 times the
bolt diameter 1.5
w
d d .
4. Count the number of frustra
that exist. In the case
shown to the right, there are three. Frustra 1 is above the mid-plane, frustra 3 is below the mid-plane,
and frustra 2 is the region where the two equilateral triangles overlap. The dimensions from each of
these regions is used to define the stiffness of the individual frustra, and subsequently the stiffness of
the joint.


D
t
d
2
1
t
2
t
1 2
h t t +
h/2
washer
1
2
frustra 1
frustra 2
frustra 3
o
60
o
60
o
60
o
60


For the upper frustra (frustra 1) the stiffness is defined
from the relation

( )( )
( )( )
1
0.577
1.15
ln
1.15
Ed
k
t D d D d
t D d D d

+ +
+ +


where D is the diameter at the top of the frustra
( 1.5
w
D d d ), d is the bolt diameter and t is the
thickness of the upper frustra (
1
t t ). Using these
diameters and thickness, and noting that the elastic
modulus for frustra 1 is
1
E E

( )( )
( )( )
( )( )
( )( )
1 1
1
1 1
1 1
0.577 0.577
1.15 1.15 0.5 2.5
ln ln
1.15 1.15 2.5 0.5
w w
w w
E d E d
k
t d d d d t d d
t d d d d t d d


+ + +
+ + +

We note that the diameter
1
D shown in the figure is
o
1 1 1
2 tan30 1.15 1.5
w
D t d t d + + . This is used as D in
the computation of the stiffness for the middle frustra (frustra 2). The thickness of the middle frustra is
2 1
( ) / 2 t t t . For the middle frustra we use
2
E E , so the stiffness of the middle frustra is given by

( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
2
2
2 1 1 1
2 1 1 1
0.577
1.15 / 2
ln
1.15 / 2
E d
k
t t D d D d
t t D d D d

+ + 1
]
+ + 1
]


Using
1 1
1.15 1.5 D t d + results in

( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
2 2
2
2 1 1 1 2 1 1
2 1 1 1 2 1 1
0.577 0.577
0.575 1.15 1.5 1.15 1.5 0.575 0.5 1.15 2.5
ln ln
0.575 1.15 1.5 1.15 1.5 0.575 2.5 1.15 0.5
E d E d
k
t t t d d t d d t t d t d
t t t d d t d d t t d t d


+ + + + + + +
+ + + + + + +



The lower frustra (frustra 3) is handled in a similar manner,
so that

( )( )
( )( )
3
0.577
1.15
ln
1.15
Ed
k
t D d D d
t D d D d

+ +
+ +


where D is the diameter at the bottom of the frustra
( 1.5
w
D d d ), d is the bolt diameter and t is the thickness
of the bottom frustra ( ( )
1 2
/ 2 t t t + ). Using these diameters
and thickness, and noting that the elastic modulus for frustra
1 is
2
E E , the stiffness of the bottom frustra is

1
t h/2
washer
1
o
60
1.5
w
d d
d
1
D
o
1
tan30 t
1
D
( )
2 1
1
2
t t
2
t
2 ( )
1 2
1
2
t t +
o
60
1.5
w
d d


( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
2 2
3
1 2 1 2
1 2 1 2
0.577 0.577
1.15 / 2 1.5 1.5 0.575 0.5 2.5
ln ln
1.15 / 2 1.5 1.5 0.575 2.5 0.5
E d E d
k
t t d d d d t t d d
t t d d d d t t d d


+ + + + +
+ + + + +



The bolt stiffness must also be considered. Assuming a through bolt, Table 8-7 gives

d t
b
d t t d
A A E
k
A l Al

+


The stiffness of the member (joint) is therefore

1 2 3
1 1 1 1 1
m b
k k k k k
+ + +


Assuming a 12-mm (0.012 m) diameter ISO class 8.8 bolt, with ( )
1
20 mm =0.02 m t ,
( )
2
25 mm =0.025 m t ,
1
207 GPa E ,
2
113 GPa E , and 207 GPa
b
E we get the following.

Frustra 1:
( )( )
( )( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
9
1
1
1
1
0.577 207 10 0.012
0.577
1.15 0.5 2.5 1.15 0.020 0.5 0.012 2.5 0.012
ln
ln
1.15 2.5 0.5
1.15 0.020 2.5 0.012 0.5 0.012
E d
k
t d d
t d d

+ +
+
+

6
6
1
4502.7 10
4473.9 10 N/m
0.000870
ln
0.000318
k



Sililarly

( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2
2
2 1 1
2 1 1
9
6
0.577
0.575 0.5 1.15 2.5
ln
0.575 2.5 1.15 0.5
0.577 113 10 0.012
2458 10
0.0016894
0.575 0.025 0.020 0.5 0.012 1.15 0.020 2.5 0.012
ln
ln
0.00162
0.575 0.025 0.020 2.5 0.012 1.15 0.020 0.5 0.012
E d
k
t t d t d
t t d t d

+ + +
+ + +

+ + +
+ + +
6
58770 10 N/m
02



For the third frustra we have

( ) ( )( )
( ) ( )( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
9
2
3
1 2
1 2
6
6
0.577 113 10 0.012
0.577
0.575 0.5 2.5 0.575 0.025 0.020 0.5 0.012 2.5 0.012
ln ln
0.575 2.5 0.5 0.575 0.025 0.020 2.5 0.012 0.5 0.012
2458 10
2344.8 10 N/m
0.0009563
ln
0.0003353
E d
k
t t d d
t t d d

+ + + +
+ + + +

If we now consider the bolt, we note that for the specified type of bolt used, Table E-3 gives

10.8 mm, 45 mm, and 55.8 mm
G G
H L H L +

From Table E-17;
( )
2 2
60 mm, 60 30 30 mm, 45 30 15 mm, 12 / 4 113 mm
d t d
L l l A
From Table 8-1;
2
84.3 mm
t
A , and using EQ (8-17) with
6 2
113 10 m
d
A

and
6 2
84.3 10 m
t
A



6 6 9
6
6 6
113 10 (84.3 10 )(207 10 )
466.8 10 N/m
113 10 (0.015) 84.3 10 (0.030)
b
k




+


For the entire joint we therefore have

6 6 6 6
1 2 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
4473.9 10 58770 10 2344.8 10 466.8 10
m b
k k k k k
+ + + + + +



6
358 10 N/m
m
k