As shown in section X.F.1, the parts are assumed infinitely stiff compared to the connections. The only source of flexibility in the assembly is the flexibility of connections. Here, to fix ideas, it is considered that part “A” is fixed, and that only part “B” moves slightly. This means that only the motions of part “B” must be considered in the development of expressions leading to the estimation of group global stiffnesses.
As part “B” is rigid, its motion can be characterized by a vectorial translation and a vectorial rotation of components and respectively. These components are expressed in bolt group center of gravity Cartesian coordinate system defined in section X.F.2. The motion of “B” side of connection is then
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in which Einstein’s convention is used for the notation of components, except that no distinction is made between the covariant and contravariant types of components as coordinate system is a Cartesian one. Previous expression can also simply be written:
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| (X.F.5) |
This equation shows that the translational elongation of each connection depends on its location with respect to the bolt group center of gravity. On the other hand, all the rotational deformations are exactly equal to part “B” global rotation:
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| (X.F.6) |
To these connection deformations correspond connection forces and moments:
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| (X.F.7) |
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| (X.F.8) |
With these expressions for connection deformations, bolt group total strain energy can be developed as follows:
In the last expression, one term vanishes because (origin of coordinate system located at bolt group center of gravity). Finally, this expression is developed following a development similar to that of the inertia tensor in Chapter 32 of [eEL94]:
The last expression allows introduction of one scalar and one tensorial quantity characterizing bolt group total stiffness:
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| (X.F.11) |
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| (X.F.12) |
The scalar quantity corresponds to a interface global translational stiffness. The tensorial quantity is the interface total rotational stiffness. Using these expressions, the bolt group strain energy is given by
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The strain energy is also given by:
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This allows one to write an expression relating the interface global force and moment to interface deformation:
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that can be inverted as follows:
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| (X.F.13) |
It is assumed here that can be inverted.