Rivet universal connection

You can use the universal rivet connection command to create and manage all of the rivets within your model.

Define fastened surfaces

When creating a rivet connection, you must define the target flanges that act as the surfaces fastened by the rivet connection. You can choose a minimum of two and a maximum of four flanges by selecting meshes, polygon bodies, polygon faces, or selection recipes for each flange.

Locations

After defining the target flanges, you must specify the location of the definition points which define each rivet in the connection.

When you add a location, the Locations List displays information for each location entity such as the Location Type and number of entities used to define the location.

Projection Tolerances

You can set tolerance parameters, which are used by the software to project the connection onto the selected flanges. You can set the following tolerances to limit which flanges are connected by the rivet:

• Max Distance from Definition to Elements C.G.

• Max Normal Distance from Definition to Supports

• Max Distance to Correct Projection

• Max Angle Between Normals

Physical properties

You can define the physical properties and characteristics of the realized (meshed) rivet connection elements, such as:

• Height

• Diameter

• Material

Rivet connection elements

After creating a universal connection, you must create the connection elements (that is, realize or mesh the connections) before solving the model.

The following table shows the valid combinations of elements when realizing (meshing) a rivet connection.

Element combination	Realized (meshed) connection
CHEXA+RBE3 spider(s) (Nastran)	(1) CHEXA (Nastran) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) elements
RBE2 (Nastran)	(1) RBE2 (Nastran) elements
CBUSH+RBE3 spider(s) (Nastran)	(1) CBUSH (Nastran) elements(2) RBE3 (Nastran) elements
CBAR+CBUSH+RBAR (Nastran)	(1) CBAR (Nastran) elements(2) CBUSH (Nastran) elements(3) RBAR (Nastran) elements

The CBAR+CBUSH+RBAR element combination is commonly used in the aerospace industry to represent riveted joint behavior, such as:

• Bearing stiffness of the flange surface and the rivet.

• Bending and shear stiffness of the rivet shank.

• Displacement of the riveted joint and the connected flanges.

(1) Local CSYS, (2) CBUSH, (3) CBAR, (4) RBAR

A local coordinate system is created at the definition point of the connection, along with the CBAR elements, which act as the rivet shank.

The RBAR elements are created at the nearest node on the selected flanges and are connected to the CBAR elements by a CBUSH element at each flange.

For more information, see:

[1] Boshers, Chris, Parady, John, Pearce, Larry, and Rutman, Alexander. "Fastener Modeling for Joining Parts Modeled by Shell and Solid Elements" at Americas Virtual Product Development Conference, October 11-12, 2007, Detroit, Michigan.

Universal Rivet Connection command

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisite	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Universal Rivet Connection

Connection Elements command

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Connection Elements

Automatic Connection Elements command

Application	Pre/Post
Prerequisites	A FEM or assembly FEM file as the work part and displayed part
Command Finder	Automatic Connection Elements

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Rivet universal connection, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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