ADINA TMC is primarily used for coupled thermo-mechanical problems. The program can handle fully coupled problems where the thermal solution affects the structural solution and the structural solution also affects the thermal solution. As well, ADINA TMC can handle one-way coupling where only one of the two physics fields affects the other.

The following mechanical to thermal coupling effects can be included:

• Internal heat generation due to plastic deformations or viscous effects
• Heat transfer between contacting bodies
• Heat generation due to friction

The following thermal to mechanical coupling effects can be included:

• Thermal expansion
• Temperature-dependent mechanical properties
• Temperature gradients in shells

Examples

Three examples with thermo-mechanical coupling are shown below.

The first example involves the coupled thermo-mechanical analysis simulating the electron beam welding process of two tubes. The elasto-plastic material model of the tubes is temperature dependent. Hence, the considerable temperature rise caused by the welding process significantly affects the mechanical properties of the tubes.

The second example involves the coupled analysis of brake systems. These can be strongly coupled problems with heat transfer due to contact between the disk/rotor and the pads, extensive heat generation caused by friction, temperature-dependent mechanical and thermal properties (the brake components experience a considerable temperature change during braking). For more details, see the ADINA News on Thermo-Mechanical Coupled Analysis of an Automotive Disk Brake. Note that a simpler brake configuration was also presented in another ADINA News.

The third example is an exhaust manifold which couples structural, thermal, and fluid fields and requires ADINA FSI to run. The temperature distribution in the manifold is shown below.

Some other examples of the applications of ADINA in problems involving Thermo-Mechanical Coupling (TMC) or Thermal-Mechanical and Fluid Coupling are presented in the following ADINA News:

• Thermo-Mechanical Coupling (TMC) Analysis of a Rubber Pad

• Fully Coupled Thermal FSI Analysis in Turbulent Flow

• Fully Coupled Thermal FSI Analysis

• Benchmarking Thermal FSI Capabilities

• Mesh Glueing in Thermo-Mechanical Solutions

• Thermo-mechanical Modeling of Friction Welding

• Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of Composite Shells

ADINA TMC is also used for coupled problems involving other physics equations similar in nature to the heat transfer equation, namely electric fields and porous fluid flow. Hence, it is suitable for piezoelectric analysis and poroelastic/soil consolidation analysis.

Some Applications of ADINA TMC in Industry

• Automotive systems
• Metal forming
• Welding processes
• MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems)
• Pressure vessels
• Piezoelectric sensors/actuators
• Soil consolidation

For other multiphysics problems, see multiphysics capabilities of ADINA.