TY - JOUR
T1 - An evaluation of simplified finite element models for spot-welded joints
AU - Xu, S.
AU - Deng, X.
PY - 2004/6
Y1 - 2004/6
N2 - Spot-welded joints are widely used in automobile structures. Since a typical vehicle contains several thousands of spot welds, it is often not practical in a vehicle structural analysis to model each and every spot-welded joint in detail. As such, simplified structural models have been proposed in the literature for spot-welded joints in large-scale structural computations. To be adequate, a simplified joint model must be able to produce relevant loading, stress or deformation quantities around a joint that are sufficiently accurate when compared to the results of a more refined model. To this end, the current paper describes the findings of a careful study in which several types of simplified finite element structural models for spot-welded joints are implemented with several mesh refinements and their performance is evaluated against converged three-dimensional finite element models. Various loading conditions and joint parameters are considered. The evaluation is carried out based on comparisons of the structural stiffness of the joint. A detailed error analysis is provided. It is found that most of the simplified joint models and mesh refinements have good accuracy when a joint is subjected to tension, torsion, and out-of-plane bending. However, under in-plane bending and torsion conditions, large errors are introduced even when fine meshes are used.
AB - Spot-welded joints are widely used in automobile structures. Since a typical vehicle contains several thousands of spot welds, it is often not practical in a vehicle structural analysis to model each and every spot-welded joint in detail. As such, simplified structural models have been proposed in the literature for spot-welded joints in large-scale structural computations. To be adequate, a simplified joint model must be able to produce relevant loading, stress or deformation quantities around a joint that are sufficiently accurate when compared to the results of a more refined model. To this end, the current paper describes the findings of a careful study in which several types of simplified finite element structural models for spot-welded joints are implemented with several mesh refinements and their performance is evaluated against converged three-dimensional finite element models. Various loading conditions and joint parameters are considered. The evaluation is carried out based on comparisons of the structural stiffness of the joint. A detailed error analysis is provided. It is found that most of the simplified joint models and mesh refinements have good accuracy when a joint is subjected to tension, torsion, and out-of-plane bending. However, under in-plane bending and torsion conditions, large errors are introduced even when fine meshes are used.
KW - Finite element
KW - Joint model
KW - Spot weld
KW - Weld nugget
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1842786365&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.finel.2003.08.006
DO - 10.1016/j.finel.2003.08.006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:1842786365
SN - 0168-874X
VL - 40
SP - 1175
EP - 1194
JO - Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
JF - Finite Elements in Analysis and Design
IS - 9-10
ER -