A numerical round robin for the prediction of the dynamics of jointed structures

Abstract

Motivated by the current demands in high-performance structural analysis, and by a desire to better model systems with localized nonlinearities, analysts have developed a number of different approaches for modelling and simulating the dynamics of a bolted-joint structure. However, the types of conditions that make one approach more effective than the others remains poorly understood due to the fact that these approaches are developed from fundamentally and phenomenologically different concepts. To better grasp their similarities and differences, this research presents a numerical round robin that assesses how well three different approaches predict and simulate a mechanical joint. These approaches are applied to analyze a system comprised of two linear beam structures with a bolted joint interface, and their strengths and shortcomings are assessed in order to determine the optimal conditions for their use.