Gap element or Contact element 2

[oso]

I am analyzing a structure which have two plates (50x100mm and 150x80mm)connected by three rivets.

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| x | |
| x | |
| x | |
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Plate 1 Plate 2 (10 mm in thickness)

The rivet is about 10 mm in diameter. I have used beam element and spider rigid elements to modeling the rivet connection. However, when the force or torque is applied on the right plate. The interface of these two plates (in the direction perpendical to screen) seems to be contacted. Should I use contact elements or gap elements which have a initial of zero to capture the contact?

Thnaks in advance.

 

[elogesh]

Hai,

What is the purpose of your analysis?
What are the results your looking for?

Use contact or gap elements, if it is mandatory.Otherwise it will add penalty, on economy of the problem.

Regards,
Loganathan.E

 

[oso]

Elogesh:

Thanks for the reply. Actually, I am working on a car brake beam study. Just image the brake pedal beam has to been made in two pieces.

My current model is established as stated. I am doubt that the beams and spider rigid elements (to model rivets) could pass the force and torque to the upper portion of pedal beam. However, are there some better way to model this?

Thanks!

Oso

 

[corus]

I would advise that if you're designing a system then the best option is to be conservative in the way the structure will behave, ie. assume that there is no contact between the two plates, then each plate would have to take the full bending and direct forces alone. In that way you will get the maximum possible stresses. If you assume contact then you will get an analytically correct solution but how sure are you of the loads being applied correctly in reality and how sure are you that the plates will have no initial gap when being fitted?