[student666]

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?

[Mrt23]

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.

[Christophe]

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.

[student666]

Hi,

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

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.

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

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.

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?