Modeling Palletized Products: The Case of Semi-Filled Bottles under Top-Load Conditions

An investigation on numerical methods able to simplify the mechanical behavior of PET bottles, partially filled with liquid, under compression loadings is presented here. Compressive stress conditions on bottles are very common during their transportation and can be accompanied by large deformations and instabilities that can compromise the integrity of the pack, with the risk of significant damages. The present paper proposes two approaches, both based on finite elements, and with elastic-plastic material models properly defined with the scope of investigating the complex phenomena that take place during these loading conditions. Although not perfect in terms of accuracy, these numerical methods have been proven to be capable to predicti the transport-related integrity risks, showing results that agree with experimental data, especially during the initial phases of load compression.