Potentials and Limitations of Ultrasonic Clamp Load Testing

Ultrasonic clamp load testing is known as a sophisticated method for an in-situ determination of the load of a bolt in a joint. However certain limitations have to be respected. An overview about the method is given and the limits are presented. Special attention is paid to real time clamp load measurement of joints as well as the determination of the residual clamp load of yield tightened joints.