Coupling is a fictitious displacement boundary condition to get the

realistic behavior under the applied loads.

If the nodes are going to displace by same amount in any direction then
we must enforce coupling to get this behavior.
Command to couple nodes is CP
Syntax of CP
CP,set number,dof,n1,n2,n3,n4,n5..n17
Set number : positive integer greater than 0
DOF : ux, uy, uz
N1..n17 : node numbers.
CPLIST is to list the couple sets.
CPDELE,min,max,increment : to delete couples set.

Consider a composite cylinder made out of inner aluminum and outer steel
material.

If this cylinder is subjected to hydraulic pressure then the nodes on

surface exposed to pressure will deform by different amount as
materials are different.
But if this composite cylinder is compressed by very thick steel plate
then the nodes on top surface which are in contact with steel plate will
displace by same amount in the direction of pressure.
To get this behavior we have to couple these nodes in the direction of
pressure by using CP command.

fini
/clear
/filnam,use_cp
/cwd,d:\temp
/prep7
/title,use of coupling
k,1,0,0,0
k,2,0,0,100
pcirc,50
pcirc,100
l,1,2
aovlap,all
vdrag,all,,,,,,9
et,1,solid92
mp,ex,1,6000
mp,nuxy,1,0.35
mp,ex,2,21000
mp,nuxy,2,0.3
type,1
mat,1

esize,25
vmesh,1
mat,2
esize,25
vmesh,2
nsel,s,loc,z,0
d,all,all,0
allsel
nsel,s,loc,z,100
ar=3.1415*100*100
pr=1000/ar
sf,all,pres,pr
allsel
/solu
Solve
/post1
Plns,u,z

C***redo the problem by coupling

/prep7
nsel,s,loc,z,100
cp,1,uz,all
Allsel
allsel
/solu
solve
/post1
Plns,u,z

fini
/clear
/filnam,use_cp
/prep7
/title,use of coupling
k,1,0,0,0
k,2,0,0,100
pcirc,50
pcirc,100
l,1,2
aovlap,all
vdrag,all,,,,,,9
et,1,solid92
mp,ex,1,6000
mp,nuxy,1,0.35
mp,ex,2,21000
mp,nuxy,2,0.3
type,1
mat,1
esize,25
vmesh,1
mat,2
esize,25
vmesh,2

Create FE model by
dragging area

C***apply constraints and simulate

c***hydraulic pressure case.
C***no coupling required.
nsel,s,loc,z,0
d,all,all,0
allsel
nsel,s,loc,z,100
ar=3.1415*100*100
pr=1000/ar
sf,all,pres,pr
allsel

Apply boundary conditions.

Observe uneven
deformation of top surface
nodes exposed to
pressure.

Select the top nodes and use prdisp.

Observe the difference in UZ.

C***couple top nodes to simulate pressing

c***by steel plate.
/prep7
nsel,s,loc,z,100
cp,1,uz,all
allsel
/solu
solve
/post1
plns,u,z
nsel,s,loc,z,100
prdisp

C***create coupling on top nodes and

solve
/prep7
nsel,s,loc,z,100
cp,1,uz,all
allsel
/solu
solve

Observe symbol of CP. The triangle

shows direction.

Use cplist to list the coupling

constraints.

Observe same displacement

of top nodes along Z
direction

Select top nodes. Observe same

Uz by using prdisp.