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Bridge with trusses

Nonlinear Structural Analysis Simulations

Optimize structural designs with changing stiffness using cloud-native FEA simulation.

Cloud-Native FEA for Nonlinear Structural Analysis

In static structural applications, the stiffness of a structure may change under loading. That’s where nonlinear static analysis comes into play. Using simulation, you can run multiple analyses with incremental loads to account for the change in stiffness, whether it is due to large structural deformation, plastic material behavior, or changes in physical contacts.

Simulation helps determine your structure’s behavior and kinematics using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), a numerical solution that enables engineers and designers to study structural aspects, such as stress, displacement, and more. Nonlinear analysis is available for static, heat transfer, and thermomechanical analysis types, covering all aspects of a nonlinear relationship between the load and the displacement response.

With SimScale, you can leverage cloud computing to quickly and efficiently analyze your design’s behavior, ultimately speeding up the iterative structural design process as a whole.

Using cloud-native simulation, you can:

  • Run multiple simulations in parallel
  • Simulate FEA applications autonomously and simultaneously
  • Run simulations quickly with an easy-to-learn interface
  • Avoid manual updates, installation, maintenance, and any related fees
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Why Do We Need Nonlinear Analysis?

Nonlinear analysis enables users to truly understand and optimize product performance. Whether the problem is a part failure or poor usability, nonlinear analysis helps detect issues early on with simulation, disqualifying poor design concepts upfront and focusing on high-potential ideas that increase productivity.

Using SimScale’s nonlinear analysis tools, you can:

  • Reduce costs associated with physical testing
  • Accelerate design cycles and minimize time to market: Less time- and resource-intensive physical prototyping
  • Understand product behavior in detail
  • Optimize product performance before physical prototyping and testing
  • Perform trend analysis: Explore a design space before the physical prototyping phase.
  • Spark and increase innovation: Simulation can trigger new ideas.

A Deeper Look Into Nonlinear Analysis and Its Applications

Nonlinear analysis describes the behavior of a structure when the relation between the applied forces and the structure’s displacement response is nonlinear, represented in changing stiffness values.

Using such analysis, you can study the following products:

  • Fastening and sealing components
    • Plastic clips
    • Rubber seals
  • Joints
    • Bolted connections
    • Shaft and bearing connections
    • Brackets
  • EV charging plugs
  • Oil separators
  • Pressure vessels
  • Turbocharger manifolds
  • Combustion chambers

Nonlinear analysis solutions cover nonlinear contacts, nonlinear materials (elastoplastic and hyperelastic), temperature-dependent properties, thermomechanical interactions, and bolt preload. They enable engineers and designers to make informed design decisions and optimize their product performance early in the design process.

Nonlinear analysis of a rotor-shaft interaction

Want to run a nonlinear analysis of your own?

Customer Success

ITW Accelerates the Development of Fastening Components

ITW, a global design & engineering firm, uses nonlinear static simulation and analysis to accelerate the development of plastic automotive fastening components. With SimScale, they reduced 10% of their R&D costs and 85% of insertion force.

ITW reduced 10% of their R&D costs and 85% of insertion force.
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Withings — Simulation Saves Lives

Life Sciences & Healthcare

Related Success Stories

Check out all the success stories of our customers with structural analysis, including TechSAT, BÖHME, Anybotics, and more.

See All Stories

Validation Cases

Check out the latest urban microclimate simulations performed in SimScale and validated against experimental and/or analytical results.

Nonlinear Analysis Resources

Your hub for everything about nonlinear analyses. Check out our technical documentation section to learn about how to set up a nonlinear analysis simulation.

Example Vibration Analysis Projects