UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

MECH 3 MECHANICS OF DEFORMABLE BODIES

MODULE 3: TORSION
UNIT 2: FLANGED BOLT COUPLINGS
Prepared by:
Brian Jhay Guzman, CE, RMP, ME-1

Instructor:
Shackile Ally C. Asuncion, CE
 UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES
In this unit, here are the following desired learning outcomes:
✘ Derive the formula for the torque capacity of flanged bolt
couplings.
✘ Solve problems with multiple concentric bolt circles.

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 FLANGED BOLT COUPLINGS
A commonly used connection between two shafts is a flanged
bolt coupling. It consists of flanges rigidly attached to the
ends of the shafts and bolted together. The torque is
transmitted by the shearing force � created in the bolts.
Assuming that the stress is uniformly distributed, the load in
any bolt is given by the simple stress equation � = �� (� = ��)
and equals (��2 4)�. It acts through the center of the bolt and
tangent to the bolt circle. The torque resistance of one bolt is
� , where is the radius of the bolt circle. Therefore, for any
number of bolts, �, the 푇표푟  �푎푝 푎�  of the coupling is
expressed by

��2
푇 = �� = ( ) � �
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 FLANGED BOLT COUPLINGS
Occasionally a coupling has two concentric rows of bolts.
Letting the subscript 1 refer to the bolts on the outer circle
and subscript 2 refer to the bolts on the inner circle, the
torque capacity of the coupling is

푇 = �1 1 �1 + �2 2 �2
Where:
� = �ℎ푎 푟� (��2 4)�
푟� 푓표
= 푟푎
� � 표푓  ℎ 푏표 �푟� 
� = �푚푏
푟 표푓 푏표� �  ℎ 푏표 �푟� 

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 FLANGED BOLT COUPLINGS
The relationship between �1 and �2 can be determined from
the fact that the comparatively rigid flanges cause shear
deformations in the bolts that are proportional to their radial
distances from the shaft axis. Thus the shearing strains are
related by
�1 �2
=
1 2
�
Using Hooke’s Law for shear, � = , we have
�
�1 �2 �1 �1 �2 �2
= 표푟 =
�1 1 �2 2 �1 1 �2 2

푓 �1 = �2 푎�
� �1 = �2

�1 �2
=
1 2
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EXAMPLE 1. …continued 푇 = �� = (
��2
)� �
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A flanged bolt coupling
consists of ten 20 − 푚푚− ��� :
�푎푚푟 bolts spaced evenly
� = 20 푚푚
around a bolt circle 400 푚푚in
diameter. Determine the � = 10
torque capacity of the
coupling if the allowable �= 400 푚푚, = 200 푚푚
shearing stress in the bolts
is 40 푀�푎 . � ≤ 40 푀�
푎

푆표 표� :

��2
푇 = �� = ( ) � �
4
20
�( 푚)2 � 200
푇= 1000 (40 × 106 2 ) ( 푚) (10)
4 푚 1000
푇 = 25132.741 �∙ 푚표푟 25.132 푘�∙ 푚

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EXAMPLE 2. 푇 = �1 1 �1 + �2 2 �2
�1
=
�2
1 2
A flanged bolt coupling consists of ��� :
eight 10-mm-diameter steel bolts on
a bolt circle 400 mm in diameter, and �1 = 10 푚푚 푎 ( �푟
퐼 푓 � 2 = 60 푀� 푏표 �푟�  )
six 10-mm-diameter steel bolts on a �1 =8
concentric bolt circle 300 mm in �1 60 푀�
푎
�1 = 400 푚푚, 1 = 200 푚푚 =
diameter, as shown in Fig. 3-7. What 200 푚푚 150 푚푚
torque can be applied without �2 = 10 푚푚
exceeding a shearing stress of 60 �2 =6 � 1 = 80 푀�
푎 > 60 푀푝
푎
MPa in the bolts?
�2 = 300 푚푚, 2 = 150 푚푚 This means that the outer bolts will fail.
�푆표≤ 60 푀�
 표� 푎: 푎 (표 푟
퐼 푓 � 1 = 60 푀� 푏표 �푟�  )

The two bolt circles will not be 60 푀�

푎 �2
=
subjected to the allowable shear stress 200 푚푚 150 푚푚
of 60 푀�푎 at the same time. Because � 1 = 45 푀�
푎 < 60 푀푝
푎 �. �.
shear stress due to torsion increases the
farther the point is from the center. This means that the inner bolts will NOT fail.

Recall: Therefore we can say that the outer bolts will

be subjected to 60 푀푝
푎 , and the inner bolts
�1 �2
= ; 푆�� � � �표
�� 푎
� only 45 푀푝
푎 .
�1 1 �2 2
�1 �2
=
1 2
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EXAMPLE 2. 푇 = �1 1 �1 + �2 2 �2
�1
=
�2
1 2
A flanged bolt coupling consists of ��� :
eight 10-mm-diameter steel bolts on
a bolt circle 400 mm in diameter, and �1 = 10 푚푚
six 10-mm-diameter steel bolts on a �1 =8
concentric bolt circle 300 mm in �1 = 400 푚푚, = 200 푚푚
1
diameter, as shown in Fig. 3-7. What
torque can be applied without �2 = 10 푚푚
exceeding a shearing stress of 60 �2 =6
MPa in the bolts?
�2 = 300 푚푚, 2 = 150 푚푚

� ≤ 60 푀�
푎
푆표 표� :

��1 2 ��2 2
푇 = �1 1 �1 + �2 2 �2 = ( ) � 1 1 �1 + ( ) � 2 2 �2
4 4
10 10
�( 푚)2 � 200 �( 푚)2 � 150
푇= 1000 6
(60 × 10 2 ) ( 푚) (8) + 1000 (45 × 106 2 ) ( 푚) (6)
4 푚 1000 4 푚 1000

푇 = 10720.685 �∙ 푚표푟 10.72 푘�∙ 푚

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 Let’s review some concepts

“Flanged bolt couplings are an “To increase the torque capacity

example of the application of
torque and shearing stress
caused by torsion.”
of a coupling, one can either
increase the number of bolts, add
additional bolt circles or choose
a material with a higher shear
strength for the connecting bolts.”

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 thanks!
Any questions?
scasuncion@uc-bcf.edu.ph

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 Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
✘ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
✘ Photographs by Unsplash

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