Is there any recommended approach to analyze concrete screws. For example: Anchoring a plate with concrete screws and analyzing forces in that screw. Currently, I am using fixed constraint at the hole location, is it a realist approach when I cannot use bolt connectors or should I need to model the 3D screw.
Does preload apply to concrete screws too?
Please see attached.
One approach would be to define a virtual wall local contact on a plane representing the concrete wall. Then define "foundation bolt" type virtual bolt connector between plate and virtual wall. This would allow you to incorporate preload, and list connector force from results to compare against the screw / anchor manufacturer specs.
The local effects that come along with a 3D screw model into concrete won't be feasible to analyze in SOLIDWORKS Simulation. So you won't gain anything by going the 3D screw route.
With your current method of fixed restraint you are already using, you can "List Result Force" to get some idea of the reaction at the bolt locations. But using no penetration contact/virtual wall and a virtual bolt connector will generally be more accurate.
EDIT: modeling a sample of the concrete wall as Shawn showed is yet another valid method
Just as Ryan Navarro said:
1. Set up "virtual wall"
2. Select "foundation bolt"
3. Run SolidWoks Simulation
4. Ckeck "List Result Force"
That's enough to solve your "concrete screws" question. Our company already used above method to layout/design anti-roll devices for lots of projects, works well. For bolts user, that's enough.
But for anchor bolt r&d company engineering guys, maybe they have to build 3d bolt model to verify the design, and final check by experiment.
Thank you, do I need to specify preload for the foundation bolts?
You are welcome. Yes, better to specify preload for the foundation bolts. The value check with bolt supplier/ bolt specification.
Here is one screen shot for one simple example.
guess the question already answered.
There is no reason one cannot use bolt connectors here. It requires modeling of some portion of the concrete base.
Appropriate bolt pre-load will depend on the type of anchor being used, and how installation is specified.
I generally recommend moving boundary conditions at least one body away from areas of interest. This setup achieves that.
The added element count from the modeled concrete solid [I thought there was a generic concrete in the default materials library - here I used a common plastic instead] will add very little to the solve time. Solving the simultaneous contact and bolt tension problem will add significantly to the solve time - but that is the price for fidelity in this case, if the behavior near the joint is of interest.