Alexander Rutman, Chris Boshers
Spirit AeroSystems
Larry Pearce, John Parady
MSC.Software Corporation
Fastener Modeling for Joining Parts
Modeled by Shell and Solid Elements
1
Objective
Develop an FEM representation of a fastener
installed through multiple plates
• Accurately represent fastener behavior
• Rapid model preparation of each fastener
• Can be used with shell elements, solid elements, or
any combination of the two
• Can be used to represent fasteners that react shear
or the combination of shear and tension loads
2
Representation of a Fastener Joint
Idealization of a plate-fastener system includes
the following:
• Elastic bearing stiffness of a plate and fastener at
the contact surface
• Bending and shear stiffness of a fastener shank
• Compatibility of displacements of a fastener and
connected plates in the joint
3
Stiffness of a Fastener Joint
• Combined plate and fastener translational
bearing stiffness tp
Sbti = i Fastener
1 1
+ t p1 1st plate
Ecpi Ecf
t p2 2nd plate
• Combined plate and fastener rotational df
t p3 3rd plate
bearing stiffness 1 t 3p t p4 4th plate
S bti = ⋅ i
12 1 1
+
Ecpi Ecf
Ecpi - comp. modulus of plate i material
Ecf - comp. modulus of fastener material
t p i - thickness of plate i
4
Fastener Modeling – Additional Nodes
Required
Fastener
Shank
• Nodes at the plate mid- Nodes
plane (for plates modeled 1st plate
Solid Element
using solid elements)
2nd plate
• Nodes for fastener shank Solid Element
modeling (coincident
3rd plate
node at the mid-plane of Solid Element
each plate and a node on
the fastener axis at the
Mid-Plane
outer surface of the first Nodes
and last plate)
x
5
Fastener Shank Modeling
• Represented by CBAR or
CBEAM elements
• Properties assigned using
1st plate
PBAR or PBEAM card with Solid Element
area, moments of inertia, 2nd plate
Solid Element
and torsional constant
given by: Solid Element
3rd plate
π d 2f π d 4f
A= I1 = I 2 =
4 64
Fastener
π d 4f Shank
J= Elements
32
x
6
Interaction Between Fastener Shank
and Joined Plates
CBUSH
• Bearing stiffness between Elements
fastener shank and plate is
1st plate
represented by CBUSH Solid Element
element 2nd plate
Solid Element
• Translational and rotational
bearing stiffnesses defined Solid Element
3rd plate
in PBUSH cards
• For solid elements, bearing RBE2
MPCs
loads are transmitted via
RBE2 MPCs
x
7
Compatibility of Joint Displacements
• Two modeling approaches are considered
– Modeling using rigid elements only
– Modeling using rigid elements and linear gap
techniques
• Modeling displacement assumptions
– No interference of the plates under load
– The plate’s mid-planes remain parallel to each other
under load
– Planes under the fastener head and nut remain parallel
to the plate mid-planes under load
8
Displacement Compatibility – No
Interference of Plates Under Load
RBAR MPCs only RBAR MPCs and Linear Gaps
RBAR RBAR
MPCs MPC
1st plate 1st plate
Solid Element Solid Element
2nd plate 2nd plate
Solid Element Solid Element
3rd plate 3rd plate
Solid Element Solid Element
Linear
Gaps
9
Displacement Compatibility –
Parallelism Requirements
RBAR MPCs only RBAR MPCs and Linear Gaps
RBAR RBAR
MPCs MPCs
1st plate 1st plate
Solid Element Solid Element
2nd plate 2nd plate
Solid Element Solid Element
3rd plate 3rd plate
Solid Element Solid Element
RBAR RBAR
MPC MPC
10
Fastener Modeling with Plates Represented
by Shell Elements
Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only
Linear Gaps
RBAR DOF
1,5,6
5,6
1,4,5,6
1
RBE2 DOF
2,3,5,6
Linear
Gap DOF
1
11
Fastener Modeling with Plates
Represented by Solid Elements
One Element Through the Thickness
Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only
Linear Gaps
RBAR DOF
1,5,6
5,6
1,4,5,6
1
RBE2 DOF
2,3,5,6
Linear
Gap DOF
1
12
Fastener Modeling with Plates
Represented by Solid Elements
Multiple Elements Through the Thickness
Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only
Linear Gaps
RBAR DOF
1,5,6
5,6
1,4,5,6
1
RBE2 DOF
2,3,5,6
Linear
Gap DOF
1
13
Fastener Modeling with Plates Represented
by Both Solid and Shell Elements
Exterior Member – Solid, Interior Member - Shell
Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only
Linear Gaps
RBAR DOF
1,5,6
5,6
1,4,5,6
1
RBE2 DOF
2,3,5,6
Linear
Gap DOF
1
14
Fastener Modeling with Plates Represented
by Both Solid and Shell Elements
Upper Member – Shell, Other Members - Solid
Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only
Linear Gaps
RBAR DOF
1,5,6
5,6
1,4,5,6
1
RBE2 DOF
2,3,5,6
Linear
Gap DOF
1
15
Fastener Modeling with Plates Represented
by Both Solid and Shell Elements
Lower Member – Shell, Other Members - Solid
Rigid Elements Only Rigid Elements and
Linear Gaps
RBAR DOF
1,5,6
5,6
1,4,5,6
1
RBE2 DOF
2,3,5,6
Linear
Gap DOF
1
16
Fastener Modeling System
• A Building-Block Approach Allows the Development
of an Automated System for the Creation of Fastener
Models
• Model Creation Can Be Divided Into Three Parts
– Interaction Between the Fastener and the First Plate
– Interaction Between Two Adjacent Plates and the Fastener
Shank
– Interaction Between the Fastener and the Last Plate
17
Fastener Modeling System
Interaction of the Fastener and the First Plate
1st Plate – Shell Elements 1st Plate – Solid Elements
1st plate 1st plate
Shell Element
Solid Element
x x
18
Fastener Modeling System
Interaction of the Fastener Shank and Two Adjacent
Plates Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only Linear Gaps
Shell Element Plate n Shell Element Plate n
Shell Elements
Plate n+1 Plate n+1
Shell Element Shell Element
x x
Plate n Plate n
Solid Element Solid Element
Solid Elements Plate n+1 Plate n+1
Solid Element Solid Element
x x
19
Fastener Modeling System
Interaction of the Fastener Shank and Two Adjacent
Plates Rigid Elements and
Rigid Elements Only Linear Gaps
Shell Element Plate n Shell Element Plate n
Shell - Solid
Plate n+1 Plate n+1
Solid Element Solid Element
x x
Plate n Plate n
Solid Element Solid Element
Solid - Shell Plate n+1 Plate n+1
Shell Element Shell Element
x x
20
Fastener Modeling System
Interaction of the Fastener and the Last Plate
Rigid Elements Only Rigid Elements and
Linear Gaps
Shell Element Last Plate Shell Element Last Plate
Last Plate - Shells
x x
Last Plate Last Plate
Solid Element Solid Element
Last Plate - Solids
x x
21
Sample – Shell Model
Fasteners
Reactions
Inner
Plate Rigid Body Fastener Bending and
Movement Shear Deformation
Outer Plate
Fastener after
Outer Plates Fastener before Deformation
Deformation
Applied
Loads Inner Plate
Undeformed Model Fasteners
Outer Plate
Deformed Model Fastener Fastener
Outer Plate Inner Plate
Bearing Bearing
Deformation Deformation
22
Sample – Solid Model
Reactions Fasteners
Inner Rigid Body Fastener Bending and
Movement Shear Deformation
Plate
Outer Plate Fastener after
Deformation
Outer Plates
Applied
Fastener before
Load Deformation
(Pressure) Inner Plate
Undeformed Model Fasteners
Outer Plate
Deformed Model Fastener Fastener
Outer Plate Inner Plate
Bearing Bearing
Deformation Deformation
23
Sample – Shell and Solid Model
Reactions Fasteners Rigid Body Fastener Bending and
Inner Movement Shear Deformation
Plate
Outer Plate
Outer Plates Fastener after
Fastener before Deformation
Applied Deformation
Loads Inner Plate
Undeformed Model Fasteners
Outer Plate
Deformed Model Fastener Fastener
Outer Plate Inner Plate
Bearing Bearing
Deformation Deformation
24
Sample – Shell and Solid Model Using
Linear Gaps Undeformed Model
Applied Loads
Fastener Fastener Tension
Plate Clip
Fasteners
Plate
Deformed Model
Reactions
Reactions
Tension Clip
Tension
Clip
Fasteners
Plate
25
Patran Fastener Builder
• Element and node ID control
• All bolt entities will be added to this group
• Fastener data
– Diameter
– Grip length
– Material: This will open a subform to select a
material for the bolt
– Contact Between Plates: Rigid or Linear Gaps
– Symmetry: None, half, quarter
• Fastener axis
– Axis List: Defines the bolt x-axis
– Node Align Tol: Nodes within this tolerance
will be considered as part of the bolt
– Nudge Node to Axis: Nodes that do not lie on
the bolt axis will be moved (projected) to the
axis
26
Patran Fastener Builder
• Fastener locations
– Point locations that represent the location of the fastener.
One point per fastener
– Points can be specified as
• Point list: This includes geometric points, nodes, xyz locations, etc.
• Group: All points or nodes in the group will be considered as
fastener locations
• File: Point locations will be imported from a file
• Fastener connections
– Defines the nodes that will be considered for connection
– Nodes can be specified as
• All nodes: All nodes in the database will be considered
• Current viewport: All nodes in the current viewport will be
considered
• Nodes: Selected nodes
• Elements: Nodes associated to selected elements
• Properties: Nodes associated to elements associated to selected
property sets
27
Conclusion
• The fastener modeling technique developed for
shell elements has been extended to models
containing solid elements
• The use of linear gaps allows the fastener
representation to carry both shear and tension
loads in the fastener
• An automated PCL procedure has been
developed to quickly and easily create fastener
representations in MSC Patran
28
Dr. Alexander Rutman Larry Pearce
[email protected] [email protected] 29
(316) 523-7048 (770) 252-6560
