Inquiry Regarding Rivet Representation and Pre-Stressing in SimSolid

Ali_22006

Hi Support Team,

I have a couple of questions regarding the use of rivets in SimSolid:

1. When I place a rivet in SimSolid, how is it represented within the simulation?
2. Do the upper and lower cap rivets pre-stress the upper and lower surfaces, and if so, is that pre-stress taken into account during the simulation?

For reference, I reviewed the documentation here:
https://2021.help.altair.com/2021/ss/topics/tutorials/ss/intro_rivets_r.htm

Thank you for your assistance.

SouravDas0306

Hi Ali,

In SimSolid, when you place a rivet, it is represented as a structural connection between parts rather than as a detailed solid body. The rivet simulates the mechanical behavior by enforcing connectivity and stiffness between the contacting surfaces, typically using internal constraint elements. It does not model the actual rivet geometry or detailed contact mechanics unless explicitly defined.

Regarding pre-stressing: SimSolid’s rivet connections do not automatically include pre-stress effects such as clamping force or residual stress from installation. The upper and lower cap rivets are used to define the connection points, but they do not induce pre-load by default. If pre-stress is needed in the simulation, it must be applied manually through other means, as SimSolid currently does not support automatic bolt or rivet pretension features.

Regards,

Sourav