A Finite Element Method Study on Effect of Metal Gasket Design on Contact Width

A gasket is a sealing device installed between two flanges to prevent fluid leakage. While asbestos gaskets have been widely used to achieve effective sealing, they have largely been replaced by metal gaskets due to superior safety and durability. The extant literature on metal gaskets has addressed critical aspects including design optimization, surface topography, and flange configuration. A common limitation across these studies, however, is their foundational reliance on experimental techniques approach that necessitates considerable laboratory resources and extended development timelines. In this study, the influence of design parameters on sealing performance is investigated numerically using the Finite Element Method (FEM) in Abaqus, which are validated in exprimental data. By evaluating contact width and stress, the results show that increasing gasket thickness reduces both the overall contact length and the contact width meeting the 400 MPa criterion. Furthermore, lip height plays an essential role in gasket design. The results indicate that a design with a higher lip height improves both the average contact stress and the proportion of contact stress exceeding 400 MPa, resulting in better sealing performance. These findings establish a validated numerical framework using Abaqus software, which can reduce the production timeline in the manufacturing process.