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Error Plots
Pressure Vessel Engineering
Tel: 519-880-9808
Email: info@pveng.com

Error Plots - Bolt Heads & Surface to Surface


Contacts

File : PVE-3179
Last Update d:
De c. 13, 2008
LB

Summary:
Error plots show how well the complexity of a mesh matches the complexity of the deflections in a model. Once the mesh
complexity matches the model complexity the reported error is low. As a guideline, Pressure Vessel Engineering uses 5%
error as an acceptance criterion.
It is possible to get stresses below 5% in general vessel areas by applying an appropriate mesh size. This report covers two
areas where the error cannot be lowered to reach this acceptance criteria regardless of the mesh size used. These areas are:
1) stresses in and around the head of a bolt and 2) stresses at surface to surface contacts.
Other areas also exist in pressure vessels where mesh refinement can not be used to reduce errors to this 5% acceptance
level. These areas: weld fillets, diameter transitions, nozzles, flanges and support legs and lug attachements are beyond
the scope of this article.

Example:

Example test shape - an assembly of 3 parts: 2 plates of


2" x 2" x 1/2" thick with 1/2" radius hole in one corner.
The test plates are joined with a 7/8" root diameter bolt.
The bolt is made 0.002" shorter than the two plates to
create an interference fit preload.

A no penetration surface is defined between the two


plates. The plates can separate but not pass through
each other.

An interference fit is defined between the bolt head and


the top plate. The bolt will be stretched to reach the top
surface. The top surface will be compressed by the bolt.

Symmetry boundary conditions are applied to sides and


bottom of assembled model.

The model is meshed at 1/8" size.

Close up of the interference mesh between the bolt and


the top plate.

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Error Plots
Displacement plot - the plates are in contact under the
bolt head, separated elsewhere. The bolt was stretched
> 0.01" to create a preload. The plate also compressed
under the bolt head. This stretch is shown magnified
x125 here so the bolt appears to be out of contact with
the top plate - it is in contact.

A close-up of the contact area between the two plates.

Intensity stress plot (Tresca P1-P3 criteria) - the


highest stress is indicated under the bolt head.

Close-up of the highest reported stress area - under the


bolt head.

Overall error plot. The error plot shows areas in and


around the bolt head to be higher than the 5%
acceptance criteria.

The error plot scale re-scaled to 100% maximum. The


maximum error is located under the bolt head at the
edge of the bolt to top plate interference contact. The
sharp edge of the contact area can not be eliminated
regardless of the mesh size used. This area will always
have a high indicated error.

ASME VIII-2 (2287 Ed.) sets the stress limits for bolts at locations away from the stress concentrations.
VIII-2 5.7.2(a)
The maximum value of service stress, averaged across the bolt cross section and neglecting stress
concentrations, shall not exceed two time the allowable stress values in paragraph 3.A.2.2. of annex 3.A
VIII-2 5.7.2(b)
The maximum value of service stress, except as restricted by paragraph 5.7.3.1(b) [fatigue assessment of
bolts] at the periphery of the bolt cross section resulting from direct tension plus bending and neglecting stress
concentrations shall not exceed three times the allowable stress values in paragraph 3.A.2 of Annex 3.A
The bolts are studied at some location other than under the head. Large stresses concentrations are also created at the
location where the bolt threads into its parent material (not shown in this model). This area will also show a high indicated
error.

Another area of high reported error: the contact


between the top and bottom plates.

Close-up of the previous shot - contact pressure at the


surface to surface contact between the two steel
plates. These contact areas show as high errors
regardless of the mesh size used.
2013 Pressure Vessel Engineering Ltd.

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