Finite Element Method in the Analysis of the Hydrostatic Bulging of a Sheet Metal (Part 2)

Abstract

In this paper the large plastic deformations of thin elliptical and rectangular metal diaphragms being edge-clamped and bulged by hydrostatic pressure are calculated, using the incremental finite element method which was formulated by the authors. The predictions are obtained in terms of the bulge pressure - central height relation, the bulge pressure - polar thickness strain relation, strain distributions on the major and minor aces of diaphragm, and strain path and stress path at the pole of diaphragm. In general, theoretical predictions are reasonably in agreement with the experimental results of aluminium sheet.