The fatigue crack initiation and fatigue crack growth life estimations have been numerically investigated
and the total estimated fatigue lives have been compared with available experimental fatigue test results
for a single plate of aluminum 7075-T6 bolted with different applied torques. To do so, pre-stresses
around the hole due to the torque tightened bolt and stress concentration factor of the combined
longitudinally applied load and bolt clamping force were determined using 3D finite element simulations
results. The calculated pre-stresses and stress concentration factors for different bolt clamping forces
were employed in AFGROW computer package to predict fatigue crack initiation and fatigue crack growth
lives. The results show that there is good agreement between the numerically predicted total fatigue lives
and available experimental fatigue test results. The numerical results also show that bolt clamping force
increases both fatigue crack initiation and fatigue crack growth lives individually.