Thermoelastic ratcheting effect in bolted aluminum-to-aluminum connections

The effect of thermoelastic ratcheting on the mechanical integrity of bolted aluminum-to-aluminum connections using different mechanical contact devices was studied. Thermoelastic ratcheting was studied under current cycling conditions using currents 800 to 2000 A. The results show that the mechanical integrity of the connections is strongly affected by the joint configuration, which differs according to the mechanical devices used. To explain this finding, a rather simplified model of the processes occurring in the connections is derived and shows very good agreement with the experimental results