Calculation Method
Bolted flanges connections - Mechanical model and calculation

The design of a leak-tight bolted joint is based on modeling two types of stresses, both of which can be reduced to two fundamental loads:

• an axial clamping force in the bolting (perimeter force);

• internal pressure on the gasket’s contact area (back pressure).

In addition:

• external loads, transmitted by the connected equipment, which are also converted into pressure equivalents to incorporate them into the axisymmetric model;

• differential thermal forces, resulting from differences in thermal expansion between the flanges and the bolted...