prebended bracket, what type of analyssis to perform?
 

Hi all,


The object in the attached image represents a fixing bracket, used to fix the products to a wooden pallet, during road transport.


I have to study a new type of steel bracket and what I would like to achieve is a folded bracket which, once fixed, it bends and prearranges a downward preload on the adjustable feet, ensuring that these are kept fixed on the wooden pallet.

The question is: I believe that a linear static analysis is not the correct type of analysis, what kind of analysis should I conduct?

hello.
first step-static nonlinear analysis bracket will be preloaded
second step-transient nonlinear analysis (road loads)
if i understand you correct you have contact interaction, preload bolt and dynamic road loads.

If I understand this correctly, I would make the edge of the “not fixed” side have a “compression only support” or just set the vertical displacement on that edge to zero but allow freedom in the other two directions.

Then I would put a fixed displacement on the other edges and the area where the bolt heads touch equal to the uncompressed height difference between the free side and the bolted down side.

Hi,

thank you both; I think I should perform a static non linear analysis only.

I would set the same "sliding" BC on both edges that come in contact with the wood: no vertical displacement.

If I understand you properly, you suggest to study the problem when it is in the "not fixed" configuration.
Then you would put a fixed displacement, but I can't properly understad where and how you would set it.
I'm thinking to set this BC on the corner of the "bended edges", could it be right?

I could also use a symmetric model and put a symmetric BC on the longitudinal axis,

Should it be a proper definition for this case, even if it keeps a degree of freedom?(sliding)

I also think that non linearity should comes for the material, as for this loading state the load (displacement) keeps the same direction, isn't it?