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Monitoring of L-Shape Bolted Joint Tightness Using Thermal Contact Resistance

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Abstract

In this paper, we describe the possible use of hermal contact resistance measured under ambient conditions as a non-destructive feature to monitor L-shape bolted joints. We demonstrate that thermal contact resistance can be correlated to the contact pressure of L-shape bolted joints and thus can be used to infer joint tightness. Five different torque levels of bolt tightness in an L-shape bolted joint were measured for contact pressure and thermal contact resistance using Fuji Prescale® pressure-sensitive film and a test setup in ambient conditions. Using probabilistic analysis, probability density functions (PDFs) and intervals developed from the PDFs, the contact pressure and thermal contact resistance were developed and correlated. By examining the intervals of the contact pressure and thermal contact resistance at each torque level, it was concluded that thermal contact resistance measured under ambient conditions can be used to describe bolted joint tightness.

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Acknowledgments

Authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support by Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) to University of New Mexico and CSA Engineering. Technical help by CSA Engineering in calibration test is greatly appreciated. The financial support by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (No. 2011–0030842) for the second author is greatly appreciated. Special thanks go to Dr. Eric Austin for his technical advice during this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Structural Technologies, LLC., Hanover, MD, 21076, USA

    M. Jalalpour

  2. Green Infrastructure Technology for Climate Change Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, South Korea

    J. J. Kim

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA

    M. M. Reda Taha

Authors
  1. M. Jalalpour
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  2. J. J. Kim
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  3. M. M. Reda Taha
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. J. Kim.

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Jalalpour, M., Kim, J.J. & Reda Taha, M.M. Monitoring of L-Shape Bolted Joint Tightness Using Thermal Contact Resistance. Exp Mech 53, 1531–1543 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-013-9759-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-013-9759-9

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