NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DAMAGE OF A FLANGED JOINT

Flanged joints are fundamental components of pipelines and they must be optimized to avoid leaks, bolts overstress and flanged joints damage. Overcoming standards indications as overtorqueing, and combination of different parameters, as difference in hardness between flanges and gasket, can cause groove impressions. Aim of this study is to provide an efficient tool to optimize the choice of characteristic parameters of flanged joints, by numerical simulations. Geometries of a real test case are simulated by FE models, considering different values of flange and gasket hardness, as well as tightening torques, in order to cover possible ranges. From the analyses, it is possible to highlight that a particular combination of hardness difference and over-torque is responsible for permanent flange impression.