Study on the Performance of Aerospace High-Strength Titanium Alloy TC4 Countersunk Head Bolts for Special Connections in Multi-Working Conditions

Titanium alloy TC4 countersunk head bolts (CHB) are widely used in spacecraft structures, but the research on CHB does not receive enough attention at present. There are still some more opportunities worthy of in-depth research, such as insufficient research on CHB of high-strength fasteners for aerospace applications, an insufficient combination of CHB simulation tests with real working conditions, and inspection and testing methods. In this study, through the combination of finite element simulation and experiments, the working conditions of the CHB connection structure bearing tensile load and CHB screwing were analyzed, and the requirements of the CHB connection structure and installation of CHB were optimized. Based on the single-bolt tensile simulation, the working conditions of multi-bolt connection structures under eccentric load and single-bolt composite laminate connection structures under tensile load were analyzed. Meanwhile, the structure of CHB was further optimized, and the simulation analysis model of the CHB tightening process was established. The research shows that the larger fixing bolt countersunk angle <i>θ</i>₁ and the smaller countersunk fillet radius <i>r</i>, the better the ultimate bearing capacity of the connection structure will be. When the countersunk bevel angle of pressure plate <i>θ</i>₂ was greater than or less than 100°, the clamping force–angle slope will decrease, while when <i>θ</i>₂ was smaller, it will have a greater influence on the slope. The coaxiality <i>Φ</i> had little influence on the slope around the allowable tolerance range (0.3 mm), but the influence on the slope becomes greater when it exceeds the tolerance range. The research results provide a reference and basis for the layout of CHB and the use of composite materials in aerospace connection structures.