Roller
The Roller node adds a roller constraint as the boundary condition; that is, the displacement is zero in the direction perpendicular (normal) to the boundary, but the boundary is free to move in the tangential direction. A Roller condition is similar to a Symmetry condition, but the latter has some other options.
Roller Constraint
The default roller constraint acts along a normal to the selected boundaries which is computed numerically. For a certain mesh node, this direction is kept constant during the analysis, so it cannot represent finite sliding on a curved boundary. You can however, for some important cases, prescribe that the boundary slides on an analytical surface. There are two situations where you may want to do this:
Select a Normal orientation Automatic, Plane, Cylinder, or Sphere.
For Automatic, the constraint is applied in the direction normal to the boundary, as represented by the mesh. This orientation is not updated during the analysis.
For Plane, select Orientation of normalX-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, or User defined to describe the constraint direction. When User defined is used, enter the vector en, pointing along the normal to the plane along which the boundary is sliding.
For Cylinder, select Axis typeX-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, or User defined to describe the orientation of the cylinder. Enter the location of a Point on axis, Xc, in order fix the location of the cylinder. When User defined is used, enter the vector es, pointing along the axis of the cylinder. The constraints will act radially from the cylinder axis. If the analysis is geometrically nonlinear, each mesh node is assumed to maintain its distance from the cylinder axis.
For Sphere, enter the location of the Center of sphere, Xc. The constraints will act radially from this point. If the analysis is geometrically nonlinear, each mesh node is assumed to maintain its distance from the center of the sphere.
Constraint Settings
To display this section, click the Show button () and select Advanced Physics Options.
In the theory section of the Structural Mechanics User’s Guide:
In the COMSOL Multiphysics Reference Manual:
Location in User Interface
Context Menus
Solid Mechanics>Roller
Layered Shell>Face and Domain Constraints>Interfaces>Roller, Interface
Layered Shell>Roller
Multibody Dynamics>Roller
Ribbon
Physics tab with Solid Mechanics selected:
Boundaries>Solid Mechanics>Roller
Physics tab with Layered Shell selected:
Boundaries>Interfaces>Roller, Interface
Edges>Layered Shell>Roller
Physics tab with Multibody Dynamics selected:
Boundaries>Multibody Dynamics>Roller