• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.205-211
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• 2014

Recent studies emphasize the importance of pivot stiffness in the analysis of tilting pad bearings (TPBs). The present paper develops a finite element model of the pad pivot and compares the predicted pivot stiffness to the results of Hertzian contact model calculations. Specifically, a finite element analysis generates tetrahedral mesh models with ~40,000 nodes for a ball-socket pivot and ~50,000 nodes for a rocker-back pivot. These models assume a frictionless boundary condition in the contact area. Increasing the applied loads on the pad in conjunction with increasing time steps ensures rapid convergence during the nonlinear numerical analysis. Predictions are performed using the developed finite element model for increasing the differential diameters between the pad pivot (or ball) and the bearing housing (or socket). The predictions show that the pivot contact area increases with decreasing differential diameters and increasing applied loads. Further, the maximum deformation occurring at the pivot center increases with increasing differential diameters and increasing applied loads. The pivot stiffness increases nonlinearly with decreasing differential diameters and increasing applied loads. Comparisons of results of the developed finite element model to those of Hertzian contact model calculations assuming a small contact area show that the latter model underestimates the pivot stiffnesses predicted by the finite element models of the ball-socket and rocker-back pivots, particularly for small differential diameters. This result implies the need for cautionduring the design of pivot stiffness by the Hertzian contact model.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2020

PURPOSE. This study evaluated the influence of prosthesis weight and number of implants on the bone tissue microstrain. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Fifteen (15) fixed full-arch implant-supported prosthesis designs were created using a modeling software with different numbers of implants (4, 6, or 8) and prosthesis weights (10, 15, 20, 40, or 60 g). Each solid was imported to the computer aided engineering software and tetrahedral elements formed the mesh. The material properties were assigned to each solid with isotropic and homogeneous behavior. The friction coefficient was set as 0.3 between all the metallic interfaces, 0.65 for the cortical bone-implant interface, and 0.77 for the cancellous bone-implant interface. The standard earth gravity was defined along the Z-axis and the bone was fixed. The resulting equivalent strain was assumed as failure criteria. RESULTS. The prosthesis weight was related to the bone strain. The more implants installed, the less the amount of strain generated in the bone. The most critical situation was the use of a 60 g prosthesis supported by 4 implants with the largest calculated magnitude of 39.9 mm/mm, thereby suggesting that there was no group able to induce bone remodeling simply due to the prosthesis weight. CONCLUSION. Heavier prostheses under the effect of gravity force are related to more strain being generated around the implants. Installing more implants to support the prosthesis enables attenuating the effects observed in the bone. The simulated prostheses were not able to generate harmful values of peri-implant bone strain.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

Three Surface cracks are among the more common flaws in aircraft and pressure vessel components. Accurate stress intensity analyses and crack growth rate data of surface-cracked components are needed for reliable prediction of their fatigue life and fracture strengths. Three Dimensional finite element method (FEM) was used to obtain the stress intensity factor for surface cracks existing in structures. A geometry model, i.e. a solid containing one or several 3D cracks is defined. Nodes are generated by bucket method, and quadratic tetrahedral solid elements are generated by the Delaunay triangulation techniques. To examine accuracy and efficiency of the present system, the stress intensity factor for a semi-elliptical surface crack in cylindrical structures subjected to pressure is calculated. Analysis results by present system showed good agreement with those by ASME equation and Raju-Newman's equation.