PSI - Issue 78

Annarita Palmiotta et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 489–496

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Fig. 4. Bending phases of the FEM model

Thereafter, the external case and slider are modelled as constraints and ribs are modelled as beam elements. The connections of the USFPs with the connecting plates were simulated using rigid links in order to take into account internal actions (e.g., local bending moments), which occur between the USFPs and connecting plates (Fig. 5a). Specifically, as Fig. 5b shows, a pinned constraint is applied on the external case, permitting the displacement in the vertical direction (Z-direction) and fixing the horizontal ones (X and Y-direction). a b

Fig. 5. (a) FEM model components; (b) displacement applied on the model for the constriction stages

Fig. 6. Comparison between experimental and FEM model results