A Method for Determining the Load-Deflection Curve of an Elastomeric Gasket

The gasket cross section plays an important role in the resultant total load, contact stress, and stiffness of a gasket constructed from elastomeric materials. One standard approach to design is based on using a shape factor in conjunction with a simple stiffness calculation. This approach can produce reasonable results for simple cross-sections under small deformation. In many situations, the complexity of the shape and relatively large deformation prevents this approach from predicting the behavior of the gasket with acceptable accuracy. Experimental approaches and finite element methods are effective at characterizing the stiffness under these conditions. In this paper, a parameter study of the results of a sequence of finite element analyses were used to construct a model of standard gasket cross sections, specifically a triangular beaded cross section. The resulting formula can be used to quickly determine the gasket load-deflection with good accuracy. The parametric model was compared to experimental measurements with very good agreement.