Structurally sound bolted joints often fail due to loss of tightness. This is because the clamping load is affected by the application of the internal fluid pressure. A good design technique should therefore encompass most aspects of joint behaviour and produce efficient sealing performance within the clearly defined limits of the method used. This paper presents a simple analytical model based on an extension of the Taylor Forge approach taking into account flange rotation, flexibility of both the gasket and the bolts and, when applicable, the stiffness of the end closure. Examples will be discussed based on experimentally determined gasket properties.
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Bouzid et al. (1993) studied this question.