Structural Analysis of Diesel Engine Cylinder Head Gasket Joints

A limited understanding of the response of the cylinder head gasket during engine operation drives extensive engine testing when developing a new gasket design. A finite element model of the cylinder head gasket, capscrews, liner, head and upper portions of the block has been developed for a diesel engine. An approach has been developed to accurately represent the highly inelastic behaviors of the gasket components using elastic material properties. The model not only allows the analyst to understand how the current gasket design is behaving, but also allows for well educated predictions of behavioral changes brought about by design modifications.