In this tutorial, the simulation of a steel beam–column connection with bolts in Abaqus under vertical load is studied to investigate beam failure.
- The beam with endplate, the column, and the ten bolts are all modeled as three-dimensional solid parts.
- The steel material for the bolts is defined with elastic–plastic behavior dependent on strain rate. Ductile damage evolution and shear damage evolution are included to predict bolt damage and failure.
- The steel material for the beam and column is modeled as elastic–plastic with a ductile damage criterion.
- A dynamic explicit procedure is used to capture large deformations and failure behavior.
- All interactions (bolt–beam and bolt–column) are modeled as surface-to-surface contact with friction and normal contact properties.
- The column surfaces are fixed with boundary conditions, while a vertical displacement with smooth amplitude is applied to the beam.
- A fine mesh is required, especially in the contact zones, to ensure accurate results.
After the simulation, stress, strain, damage, and failure data are available. The maximum damage and failure occur at the endplate of the steel beam. Figures of the assembled model and results are provided below.
