Nonlinear analysis of automotive door weatherstrip seals

Automotive door system weatherstrip seals play a major role in determining door closing effort, isolating the passenger compartment from water and reducing the wind noise inside the vehicle. Using nonlinear finite element analysis, a seal cross section can be analyzed for compression load deflection (CLD) behavior, contact pressure distribution and aspiration due to a pressure differential across the seal. The seal CLD response, the deformed shape during compression, the contact pressure distribution and the aspiration pressure difference are all important seal performance factors that are considered in door weatherstrip seal design. The analyses described herein and the associated design evaluations can be performed before any prototype hardware is developed if sufficient geometry and material property information is available (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.