Why Bolt Modelling Strategy Matters
Bolted connections show up in almost every structural model, yet there is no single right way to represent them. The choice between continuum elements, connectors, or mesh independent fasteners affects everything from mesh complexity and computation time to the accuracy of stress results around the fastener. Picking the wrong approach for a given problem can mean unnecessary modelling effort, or worse, misleading results in exactly the area that matters most.

Webinar Scope
In this online training, 4RealSim will walk through the main strategies available in Abaqus for modelling fastened members and fasteners and compare their strengths and tradeoffs directly. We will look at how fastened members can be represented as shell or continuum, with or without holes, and how fasteners themselves can be modeled using continuum elements, connectors (beam type), or mesh independent point-based fasteners. Real comparison results, including stress, plastic strain, and bolt load, are shown side by side across these approaches.

Topics Covered

• Modelling fastened members: shell versus continuum, with or without holes

• Fastener element types: continuum, connector (beam), and mesh independent fasteners

• Fastener to member interface: contact, tie constraint, and coupling constraint

• Mesh independent point-based fasteners in Abaqus/CAE

• Boundary conditions and bolt loading strategies per fastener type

• Preloading approaches: bolt preload section, fix at current length, reference length

• Relevant output requests: stress, bolt load (CF, RF, TF), and connector output

• Direct comparison of continuum, connector, and mesh independent results (stress, plastic strain, bolt load)

• Threaded contact for small sliding contact

• Setting up fasteners in Abaqus/CAE

• Point based mesh independent fasteners: attachment points, connector section, fastener definition

• Auto generated distributing couplings and connector elements

• Handling complex setups with multiple connector elements

• Continuum bolts: preload section, internal or cylindrical surface, part versus assembly level

Who Should Attend?

• Simulation engineers modelling bolted or fastened structural connections

• Abaqus users looking to reduce model complexity without losing result accuracy

• Anyone needing reliable bolt load or stress output from a fastened assembly model

Prerequisite

• 4RealSim Abaqus customer