Mechanical diode: Comparing numerical and experimental characterizations
In this introductory work, joint compliance is studied in both a numerical and experimental setting. A simple bolted interface is used as the test article and compliance is measured for the joint in both compression and in tension. This simple interface is shown to exhibit a strong non-linearity near the transition from compression to tension (or vice-versa). Modeling issues pertaining to numerically solving for the compliance are addressed. It is shown that the model predictions, in spite of convergence being very sensitive to numerical artifacts of the interface model, are in good agreement with experimentally measured strains and joint compliances. The joint behavior is a mechanical analogy to a diode, i.e., in compression, the joint is very stiff, acting almost as a rigid link, while in tension the joint is relatively soft, acting as a spring.