Effect of nut compliance on screw thread load distribution

A well-known theoretical equation for the distribution of contact load along threads in standard nut-bolt connections is generalized to incorporate the case of axially variable Young's moduli of the threaded elements. The influence of the material selection for homogeneous bolt and nut on the thread load concentration factor is initially addressed. The theoretical possibility of equalising the thread load distribution over the whole engagement by a convenient axial variation of the nut Young's modulus is then examined.