Finite element analysis of the hyper-elastic contact problem in automotive door sealing

Abstract Specific problems regarding the sealing of doors and windows for the automotive industry will be considered in this work. Two main problems must be assessed for predicting sealing capabilities and close-up forces involved, firstly it is mandatory to identify the chemical and the mechanical properties for the rubber used on profiles. In addition, large deformation models with specific three dimensional constitutive equations are required for these problems. The work carried out will present and implement such a constitutive model in order to evaluate the capability for predicting the final geometric configuration and for simulating the closing process for measuring the required force. Specific efforts have been payed for evaluating the sensibility of forces against rubber’s mechanical parameters. Specific three dimensional constitutive equations are formulated and implemented as they are more convenient. These studies are relevant as they will allow for producing valid sections even during preproduction stages and reducing additional costs for section rebuilding and also additional costs for line reconfiguration. Finally real test results will be compared to simulated ones and specific conclusions will be formulated.