Mechanical response of unilateral annular corrugated gaskets under low preload: An axisymmetric DQM study

Gaskets require sufficient preload to generate adequate contact pressure for reliable sealing. However, in load-constrained structures such as lightweight aerospace pipeline components, the applicable preload is often limited, making reliable sealing difficult. To improve sealing performance under such conditions, this study investigates the mechanical behavior of a unilateral annular corrugated gasket, whose periodic geometry reconstructs load transfer paths and forms flow-restriction grooves that help mitigate leakage. A parameterized axisymmetric mechanical model is established, and the governing equations are discretized using Chebyshev nodes and solved by the differential quadrature method. The proposed formulation is validated against an analytical solution for a degenerate flat-gasket case, confirming its accuracy and numerical reliability. Compared with conventional finite element analysis, the differential quadrature method reduces computational time by nearly two orders of magnitude while maintaining comparable accuracy. The effects of key parameters, including corrugation number, corrugation amplitude, relative thickness, and material properties, on stress distribution and deformation are systematically examined. The results show that increasing the corrugation number from 2 to 6 reduces the maximum stress and displacement by 62.8% and 64.9%, respectively, indicating more effective load redistribution and enhanced structural stiffness. The corrugation amplitude mainly regulates local contact behavior, whereas the relative thickness primarily governs global deformation adaptability. Metallic materials exhibit higher stress levels but lower deformability, while rubber-like materials show much greater deformation tolerance. These findings provide an efficient analysis method and quantitative guidance for designing high-reliability corrugated sealing structures under low-preload conditions.