Bolted joints for very large bearings—numerical model development

The conventional theory of bolted joints does not take the complexity of external loads into account, neither its related joint stiffness nor the contact non-linearities. This article deals with a 2D numerical model allowing fast and precise calculation of the fastening bolts for very large diameter bearings subjected to an overturning moment. The originality of the modelling lies in the use of a particular finite element that behaves like a ring, except in the axial direction. Its axial stiffness is the local stiffness that governs the behaviour of the bolted assembly. The model was tuned upon 3D finite elements simulations and provides excellent results for several types of bearings.