Modelling with rigid and deformable backing components.

[yaston4]

Hi,

I would like some input from the community, to help reduce the complexity and run times of my FE analysis I sometimes use rigid backed components instead of deformable ones, e.g. instead of modelling a soft road where a tyre rolls over it, you just make the road surface rigid.

The problem is there are some cases where assuming a rigid backing is valid, e.g. on a very hard road surface relative to the stiffness of the tyre. However if the road surface was soft then and you modelled the road as rigid then you would increase the contact pressure and stress of the tyre on the road by applying the same vertical load.

I am just wondering how you all work around this in your calculations and analysis. I look forward to hearing from you all.

Thanks.

 

[rb1957]

i'd've thought that a tire would behave differently on a rigid pavement compared to a non-rigid (elastic? deformable) one. I'd expect the rigid pavement to absorb a lot more energy than the deformable one.

 

[yaston4]

rb1957, I would also expect the same thing, I am just trying to understand the way engineers look at these problem and say make an assumption that the pavement is rigid and then model it as rigid.

 

[yaston4]

Any other thoughts on this engineers?