Simulate a bolt preload in ANSYS using universal bolt connections

This example shows you how to simulate a bolt preload in the ANSYS solver environment using universal bolt connections. ANSYS requires that the bolt preload is applied across a pretension section of the bolt shank, which is modeled as a PRETS179 element. To create the pretension section, you can split the shank element into two equal-length elements and attach the PRETS179 element between two coincident nodes of the newly split shank. The PRETS179 element then requires you to specify a pre-tension node, which can be any node that is not connected to an element in your model.

Before starting this procedure, you must create a universal bolt connection as described in Create and edit universal connections.

1. Choose Home tab→Universal Connections group→More→Connection Elements.

2. In the Create Element group, from the Type list, select Bolt and click Add.

3. In the Bolt Element dialog box, do the following:In the Simulation Navigator→Universal Connections container, select the bolt connection for which you want to simulate preload.From the Type list, select BEAM188+CERIG spider(s).In the Number of Elements box, type 2 to split the shank into two elements.Click OK.In the Connection Element Manager dialog box, click Close.In the Simulation Navigator, deselect the Universal Connections check box to reveal the realized (meshed) elements.The bolt shank is split into two equal-length elements and a node is created between them. In this procedure, this node is referred to as Node 1.

4. Use QuickPick to select Node 1.

5. With Node 1 selected, choose Nodes and Elements tab→Nodes group→Node Create .

6. In the Node Create dialog box, do the following:Click Apply.A coincident node is created at the center of the split shank. In this procedure, this coincident node is referred to as Node 2.Click an arbitrary point in space within your model to create a new node that is not connected to any elements.In this procedure, this node is referred to as Node 3 and is used to define the pretension node.Click OK.

7. Choose Elements group→Connectivity .

8. In the Element Modify Connectivity dialog box, do the following:From the Elements to Modify list, select Single Element.Select either the top element or bottom element of the split bolt shank.Use QuickPick to select Node 1 as the Node to Replace.Use QuickPick to select Node 2 as the Replacement node.Click OK.

9. Choose Elements group →Element Create .

10. In the Element Create dialog box, do the following:From the Element Family list, select 1D.In the Element Properties group, from the Type list, select PRETS179.Click Edit Mesh Associated Data .In the Mesh Associated Data dialog box, select Node 3 to define the pretension node.Next to Specify Vector, select the vector that defines your bolt axis.Click OK.In the Element Create dialog box, select Node 1 and Node 2.Click Close.A PRETS179 element is created between Node 1 and Node 2.After creating the PRETS179 pretension element between the BEAM188 shank elements, you can now apply a bolt preload to the PRETS179 element using the methods described in Define the bolt pre-load in the PRETS179 physical properties or Define the bolt pre-load as a load on selected elements.

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Simulate a bolt preload in ANSYS using universal bolt connections, Simcenter 3D 2021.1 Series

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