FRALEX-TDP-006: A Clamp Is a Load Path Not a Cover

Abstract

A bolted clamp that has stopped a leak has proved its seal, not its load path. This white paper sets out what a mechanical enclosure must demonstrate before it is accepted as a repair: damage mapped beyond the visible leak, a defined path for every load including pressure thrust, a fit to the surveyed geometry, compatible seals and bolting, a proved tightness, and a classification as repair or temporary repair with an end date and an inspection plan. It applies the FRALEX Decision Architecture and its three-point Decision Gate (selection, execution release, acceptance), includes an illustrative worked example and decision record, and states when a clamp is not the right answer. It is a decision-support framework, not a design specification.