Flexible joint between beam188 elements

[homusubi]

Hello,

I want to model a truss structure made for different kind of profiles. I'm only interested in the global displacements, and not in the stresses at the joints. Until not I'm using Beam188 to simulate all beams and columns using ADPL. In some parts of the structure neoprene pads are used between I beams and the square column that supports them (see picture). Can you advice me on how to include this flexibility in the joints? I think MPC184 elements are able to do the job, but I haven't figure out how to do this.

Thanks in advance

 

[MrRogers1987]

An MPC184 joint element could probably do this but I would suggest using COMBIN14 (assuming you have coincident nodes). Using several of the 1D variants you can control the joint stiffness in each DOF individually.

 

[homusubi]

Thanks for your answer. That will probably work, although it will mean adding a lot of elements in each joint. Are there spring elements with stiffness in more directions?

 

[homusubi]

PD: does anybody know how to properly configure the stiffness matrix for a MPC184 general joint with 6 DOF?
So far I understood the diagonal elements D11,D22,D33 should be the spring constant (K) in the X,Y and Z direction, and D44,D55 and D66 the torsional stiffness around X, Y, Z. But what happens with the rest of the D terms?