Designation: F 145 – 72 (Reapproved 2003)

Standard Practice for

Evaluating Flat-Faced Gasketed Joint Assemblies1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 145; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope compression in a gasket under the bolt loading will permit one
1.1 This practice permits measurement of gasket compres- to make qualitative predictions of the behavior of a joint
sion resulting from bolt loading on a flat-face joint assembly at assembly when it comes in contact with the application or
ambient conditions. service environment. With the plug test, bending of a flange
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the facing between bolt centers can be measured; however, in a
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information few highly distortable flanges the maximum bending between
only. bolt centers may not be detected.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 4.2 The variation in gasket compressions at selected points
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the in a flat-face joint assembly reveals the degree of flange
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- distortion or the ability of the flange to distribute satisfactorily
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- the compressive forces from bolt loads throughout the gasket.
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. 5. Apparatus (see Fig. 1)
2. Referenced Documents 5.1 Test Assembly, any flat-face flange design.
2.1 ASTM Standards: 5.2 Torque Indicating Device, for bolt loading.
E 171 Specification for Standard Atmospheres for Condi- 5.3 Dial Gage Indicator, graduated in 0.00254 mm (0.0001
tioning and Testing Flexible Barrier Materials2 in.) to measure thickness of the solder plugs and the uncom-
pressed gasket.
3. Summary of Practice 5.4 Leather Punch, for punching holes in the gasket and
3.1 The gasket compression and flange distortion are ob- fabricating the solder plugs.
tained from compressed-thickness measurements on cylindri- 5.5 Tweezers, to conveniently handle the solder plugs.
cally shaped soft-solder plugs (50-50 lead-tin by weight) 5.6 Solder Plugs— The solder must be made into a flat strip.
inserted into holes, drilled or punched through the gasket in the This can be done by compressing wire in a vise, a pair of
thickness direction. Initial compression is accomplished in the flanges, pliers, or passing it between two calender rolls. The
flanged-joint assembly when the bolts are loaded at ambient solder plugs are punched from the strip by means of the leather
temperature. Solder, being inelastic, will remain at the com- punch. Recommended plug diameter is 0.8 mm (1⁄32 in.) and
pressed thickness of the gasket after the joint is subsequently the height need only be such that the plug is compressed by the
disassembled. flanges when the gasket is also compressed. The initial
thickness of the plug and gasket before compression need not
4. Significance and Use be equal.
4.1 Gasket compressions produced by bolt loads in a
6. Test Specimens
flanged joint are important in the application engineering of a
joint assembly. They are related to the ability of a gasket to 6.1 Three gasket specimens shall be tested. The size and
seal, to maintain tightness on assembly bolts, and to a variety shape of the specimens must be such as to fit the particular
of other gasket properties that determine the service behavior flange design.
of a joint assembly. Thus, being able to determine the degree of
7. Conditioning
7.1 When the test is performed on an assembly line or in a
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F03 on Gaskets, and service environment, sufficient time should elapse for the
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F03.20 on Mechanical Test Methods. flanges, bolts, and gasket to reach equilibrium with the ambient
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2003. Published October 2003. Originally
approved in 1972. Last previous edition approved in 1997 as F 145 – 72(1997) temperature and humidity conditions before assembly. (Heavy
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 F 145 – 72 (2003)

FIG. 1 Equipment for Performing the Solder-Plug Test of Gasket Compressions

castings or forgings may require 8 to 24 h or more, contrasted C = percentage compression in the gasket,
to a brief period for light stampings.) to = initial uncompressed thickness of the gasket, and
7.2 When the test is performed under controlled conditions t c = compressed-gasket thickness as measured on a solder
in the laboratory the gasket specimen is conditioned in accor- plug.
dance with Specification E 171, or in the humidity and tem- 9.2 Fig. 2 illustrates a graph plotting compressed-thickness
perature conditions used prior to obtaining the load- values of the solder plugs which are assumed to be equal to the
compression curve. Flange fasteners and washers are held at compressed thickness of the gasket at the corresponding
the test conditions for at least 4 h prior to assembly. locations. These particular points for determining compression
were selected to reveal the bending distortion in the flange
8. Procedure facing between bolt centers. Bending is revealed by drawing a
8.1 Use the same flanges, fasteners, and washers as those curve through the gasket compressed-thickness values which
specified for applications. Clean them with reagent-grade are represented by vertical dark bars. Percentage compression
trichloroethylene or other suitable solvent. Use cleansing tissue is indicated below each bar.
to remove dirt, oil, or grease. After cleaning, give the mating 9.3 These percentage compressions were produced in the
screw threads a light coating of SAE 20 engine oil to minimize test flange by unequal flange pressures resulting from a specific
friction. bolt loading and bolt spacing. This approach to determining
8.2 Measure the initial or uncompressed thickness of the initial flange pressure is most adaptable to gasket materials
gasket. Make holes, slightly larger than the solder plugs, in the whose load-compression characteristics are not dependent on
gasket at the points where compressions are to be evaluated. shape factor.
Insert the plugs upright in the holes with the gasket resting on 9.4 The plug test will indicate the distribution of gasket
the lower flange facing. Then assemble the test assembly in the compressions which reflects the variation of initial flange
customary manner. Immediately disassemble the test assembly. pressures in joint assemblies exhibiting flange distortion.
Make compressed-thickness measurements on the solder plugs.
These measurements are equal to the compressed thickness 10. Report
exhibited by the gasket when it was loaded in the test assembly. 10.1 The report shall include the following:
9. Calculation and Interpretation of Results 10.1.1 Conditions of test, temperature, relative humidity,
and time of conditioning,
9.1 Calculate the compression as a percentage of the origi- 10.1.2 Gasket identification,
nal gasket thickness as follows: 10.1.3 Conditioning of gasket before test,
C 5 @~to 2 tc!/t o# 3 100 (1) 10.1.4 Uncompressed-gasket thickness,
10.1.5 Flange: material, thickness, width, and bolt spacing,
where: 10.1.6 Bolt size, material, and thread condition,

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 F 145 – 72 (2003)

NOTE—Flange bending is seen by drawing a curve through the compressed-thickness values for the gasket.
FIG. 2 Suggested Plot of the Solder-Plug Test Data

10.1.7 Method of bolt loading, 10.1.13 Data plot similar to Fig. 2.

10.1.8 Bolt torque,
10.1.9 Tightening sequence on bolts, 11. Keywords
10.1.10 Top view of gasket showing solder-plug locations
11.1 compressed thickness; flange distortion; flat-face joint;
with location dimensions,
10.1.11 Compressed-gasket thickness at each plug location, gasket compression; solder plug test
10.1.12 Percentage compression in the gasket at each plug
location, and

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3
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Wed Nov 25 08:55:20 EST 2009
Downloaded/printed by
DILIP KUMAR (KLINGER WARBA GASKET MFG. CO.) pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.