The effect of nut geometry, curved spring washer and a sealing material (Teflon tape) on the fatigue life of M12 and M16 ISO bolts was investigated. This was accompanied by the study of the axial and bending stress distribution in threads by numerical simulation of bolt and nut connections using the finite-element method. The experimental results showed that the highest fatigue life is achieved for a slotted tapered nut. The presence of a spring washer also increases the fatigue life, providing that the correct tightening torque is applied to produce a pretension in the bolt. The use of Teflon tape as a filling material between engaging threads of the bolt and nut is shown to significantly increase the fatigue life. On the whole, the highest fatigue life is obtained for a slotted tapered nut using washer. Four fracture mechanisms were observed for bolt–nut connections during the fatigue tests.
