Numerical Investigation of Preload Process of Bolted Joint with Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy

Abstract

A phenomenological constitutive model is developed to describe the uniaxial transformation ratcheting behaviors of the superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) by employing a cosine–type phase transformation equation with the initial martensite evolution coefficient that can capture the feature of the predictive residual martensite accumulation evolution and the nonlinear hysteresis loop on a finite element (FE) analysis framework. The effect of the applied loading level on transformation ratcheting is considered in the proposed model. The evolutions of transformation ratcheting and transformation stresses are constructed as the function of the accumulated residual martensite volume fraction. The FE implementation of the proposed model is carried out for the numerical analysis of transformation ratcheting of the SMA bar element. The integration algorithm and the expression of consistent tangent modulus are deduced in a new form for the forward and reverse transformation. The numerical results are compared with those of existing models; experimental results show the validity of the proposed model and its FE implementation in transformation ratcheting. Finally, a FE modeling is established for a repeated preload analysis of SMA bolted joint.

Keywords

• SMAs
• superelasticity
• FE implementation
• phase transformation ratcheting
• preload process analysis of bolt