Analysis of deformation of thin-walled steel tubes under clamping force during threaded joint assembly and disassembly using the finite element method
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54939/1859-1043.j.mst.208.2025.143-151Keywords:
Thin-walled steel tube; Threaded joint; Clamping force; Finite element method; Local deformation; ANSYS.Abstract
Threaded joints on thin-walled steel tubes are widely used in industrial applications, where repeated assembly and disassembly may lead to local deformation and strength degradation. This study employs the Finite Element Method (FEM) to analyze the stress–strain behavior of a thin-walled steel tube under combined clamping and torsional loads. Nonlinear contact with friction and material plasticity were considered to simulate realistic boundary conditions. The results indicate that stress concentration occurs mainly at the thread root and clamp–tube contact region. Plastic deformation begins when the clamping force exceeds 2 kN. Based on numerical results, a safe clamping limit and design recommendations are proposed to prevent yielding and ensure structural reliability.
References
[1]. Shigley, J. E. and C. R. Mischke, “Mechanical Engineering Design”, McGraw-Hill, (2002).
[2]. ANSYS Inc., “ANSYS Mechanical User’s Guide”, ANSYS Inc., (2021).
[3]. ISO, ISO 965-1:1998 — “ISO Metric Screw Threads – General Plan”, International Organization for Standardization, (1998).
[4]. Boresi, A. P. and R. J. Schmidt, “Advanced Mechanics of Materials”, Wiley, (2003).
[5]. Zhang, J.-Y., W.-G. Zhang, and Y.-F. Zhou, “Analysis of mechanical strengths of extreme line casing joint considering geometric, material, and contact nonlinearities”, Petroleum Science and Engineering Journal, (2024).
[6]. Liu, C., T. Zhang, and S. Zhang, “A new threaded insert reinforced joint to achieve ultra-high performance in CFRP bolted connections”, Composites Part B: Engineering, 295, (2025).
[7]. Abdullah, N. A., J. S. Han, and M. A. Ismail, “Finite element modelling approaches for sheet metal joining”, Proceedings of the IMechE, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, (2024).
[8]. Zhu, Y. et al., “Experiment and finite element research on mechanical performance of thin-walled steel–wood composite columns under eccentric compression”, Buildings, 15, 12, 2114, (2025).
