Bolts in ABAQUS

[Sadeqkiwan]

Hi all

I have two questions?

1. hot to simulate bolts geometry?
2. In general all journals simulate shank ,head and nut, but no one simulate washers?why

Please help me

 

[dimvoly]

Depending on level of detail wanted, I've tended to use beam elements with a coupling constraint on the bolt hole at the surface. These worked fine since my bolts were pre-tensioned.

However, I have seen full bolts being used and everything was lumped together (head, washer and nut) into one part instance.

I guess the washer they did not care about for the same reason I used beam elements - the bolt was there to hold the plates in tension so the friction between the plates did all the work, not the bolts.

If the journals you've read are simulating shearing of the bolt then I guess the washer would just be an extra annoyance since then you'll need to define all the contact for it and it won't actually matter in the results.