Abstract
Half-beads of multi-layer-steel cylinder head gaskets take charge of sealing of lubrication oil and coolant between the cylinder head and the block. Since the head lifts off periodically due to the combustion gas pressure, both the dynamic sealing performance and the fatigue durability are essential for the gasket. A finite element model of the halfbead has been developed and verified with experimental data. The half-bead forming process was included in the model to consider the residual stress effects. The model is employed to assess the dependence of the sealing performance and the fatigue durability on the design parameters of half-bead such as the width and height of bead and the flat region length. The assessment results show that the sealing performance can be enhanced without significant deterioration of the fatigue durability in a certain range of the half-bead width. In the other cases the improvement of sealing performance is accompanied by the loss of the fatigue durability. Among three parameters, the bead width has the strongest influence.