How to simulate expansion joint within ALGOR

[numikon]

Hi all!

I have one problem. I have to model and simulate expansion joint between two parts of duct modeled with shell elements. I would like to model expansion with beam elements. Two beams connected together at one node where all the stiffnesses must be defined. This is possible in application for pipe stress analysis, but how to do this in ALGOR? Any suggestion?

Basicali I would like to connect two beams together but with possibility to define all the stiffnesses between these two elements.

Thank you in advance!

Zdravko

[bannecke]

Hi,

maybe this is helpfull:

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Autodesk_Simulation/enu/2012/Help/0220-Setting_220/0221-Set_Up_A221/022...

Regards Boris

[numikon]

thank you for your quick answer. But with gaps I can simulate only axial stiffness of the expansion joint. But how I can simulate rotation stiffness (bending and torsion)? This is main problem.

Regards,

Zdravko

[bannecke]

Hi,

what about using shell elements for the joint, too. Then try discretize the stiffness with the material properties?

But I am not an expert for this topic, so maybe s.o. from the staff has a more helpfull approach...

Regards

Boris

[xli]

Hi,

You seem asking the similar capability as dealing with three translational DOFs of contact or gap element nodes for rotational DOFs, which you call (rotational) expansion joint. If my understanding is incorrect, please ignore me here.

Unfortunately, A-Sim does not afford such capability now. If you are only interesting in one particular such kind joint, I would suggest you model join structure in very details using solid elements, and at that level simulate structure's rotation and associated contact by traditional contacts/gaps. Well, if you are only interested join's global effects or have massive of them and want whole structure simulated, it is a limitation now. I hope this helps.

-xli