Rigid bodies in a Quasi-static Event Simulation study

In quasi-static event simulation studies, you can save computational time by assiging the Rigid Bodies property to bodies in your model whose strains you are not concerned with.

Rigid Bodies are bodies in your model that can translate or rotate, but not deform, and no strains or stresses are calculated for them. They are meshed with their complete geometry and participate in contact interactions.

When you assign the Rigid Body property to a body, its response to loads is reduced to 6 degrees of freedom at its center of gravity: 3 spatial translations and 3 rotations.

Fig 1: Animation of copper billet model showing tension and compression on the copper billet, as the top plate crushes it. The base plate is a rigid body and participates in the contact interactions, but no stresses or strains are calculated for it.