Finite Element Modeling with ANSYS

Strukturlabor
Spring Semester 2010

Tommaso Delpero
Grgoire Lepoittevin
Alberto Sanchez

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Contents

What is the Finite Element Method?

Modeling with ANSYS
- Element type
- Modelling of composite materials
- Boundary conditions and load introduction
- Analysis

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What is the Finite Element Method?

For many engineering problems analytical solutions are not suitable because of the
complexity of the material properties, the boundary conditions and the structure
itself.
The basis of the finite element method is the representation of a body or a structure
by an assemblage of subdivisions called finite elements.
The Finite Element Method translates partial differential equation problems into a
set of linear algebraic equations.

K q F
Nodal vector force

Stiffness matrix

Nodal displacement vector

Reference: Introduction to the finite element method, C. S. Desai and J. F. Abel, Van Nostrand Reinhold
Company, New York, 1972.
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Contents

What is the Finite Element Method?

Modeling with ANSYS

Element type
Modelling of composite materials
Boundary conditions and load introduction

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Modeling with ANSYS

The modeling procedure is the following:

GEOMETRY

ELEMENT TYPE

Shell or solid?

MATERIAL PROPERTIES

Isotropic or anisotropic material?

MESH DEFINITION

Including the load introduction

BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

ANALYSIS

Static Buckling analysis

POST PROCESSING
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Modeling with ANSYS Geometry and Element type

The geometry and the element type have to be considered together.

Shell element are typically used for structure where the thickness is negligible
compared to its length and width
Nevertheless, a plate modeled with solid element would provide similar results. The
disadvantage lies in the computation time.
Ansys provides a large choices of elements.
Shell181

Shell281

Solid186

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Modeling with ANSYS Geometry and Element type

The Ansys command to define the element type is:

The geometry is defined with key points that are connect together to obtain either an
area or a volume.
4:(0,0.5,0)

3:(1,0.5,0)
1:(0,0,0)

2:(1,0,0)

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Modeling with ANSYS Material properties

Isotropic material like aluminum

Fiber reinforced material

1. Determination of the engineering constants (Using C.A.P.)
2. Implementation in Ansys

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Modeling with ANSYS Mesh definition

Before meshing, it is necessary

1. To select the geometry to mesh
2. To give a material type
3. To give an element type
4. To select the mesh type
Free or mapped meshing
5. To define the mesh refinement

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Modeling with ANSYS Boundary Conditions (1)

Displacements constraints
nsel,s,loc,x,50-1,50+1
nsel,r,loc,y,-1,1
cm,support1,node
nsel,s,loc,x,550-1,550+1
nsel,r,loc,y,-1,1
cm,support2,node

Select support nodes

and create components

cmsel,s,support1,node
cmsel,a,support2,node
D,all, , , , , ,uy, , , , ,

Select components and

fix vertical displacement

cmsel,s,support1,node
nsel,r,loc,z,-1,1
D,all, , , , , ,ux,uy,uz, , ,
cmsel,s,support1,node
nsel,r,loc,z,b-1,b+1
D,all, , , , , ,ux,uy, , ,

Select other nodes and

fix displacements to get
a statically
determinate structure

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Modeling with ANSYS Boundary Conditions (2)

Loads introduction:
The load is introduced into the structure by a rigid cylinder, that contributes to
distribute the stresses. How can we model this effect?
Simple line load

Modeling the cylinder

and the contact

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Modeling with ANSYS Boundary Conditions (3)

Simple line load

Modeling the cylinder and the contact

nsel,s,loc,x,l/2-1,l/2+1
nsel,r,loc,y,h-1,h+1
cm,mid,node

Select nodes and create

component mid

cp,next,all,mid

Create rigid element between

the nodes (Couple DOF)

*get,nodes_num,node,0,count
F,all,Fy,-10000/nodes_num

Apply a force on each node

! Target element type: rigid cylinder

ET,11,Targe170
! Contact element type: deformable elements
ET,12,Conta174
! Setting contact options
KEYOPT,12,4,2
KEYOPT,12,5,1
KEYOPT,12,9,1
KEYOPT,12,10,2
KEYOPT,12,11,1
KEYOPT,12,12,0
KEYOPT,12,2,0
KEYOPT,11,1,0
KEYOPT,11,2,1
KEYOPT,11,3,0
KEYOPT,11,5,0
! Real Constant
radius = 15
R,20,radius,radius,1.0,0.1,0, !Real Constants
Real,20
RMORE,,,1.0E20,0.0,1.0,
RMORE,0.0,0,1.0,,1.0,0.5
RMORE,0,1.0,1.0,0.0,,1.0
! Contact material, friction coefficient
MP,MU,13,0.01
Mat,13

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! Mesh deformable contact elements

asel,s,area,,4
nsla
lsel,s,line,,3,7,4
nsll,a
nsel,r,loc,x,l/2-15,l/2+15
Real,20
Type,12
Esurf
! Create rigid target element
N,100000,l/2,h+radius+.1,-b/2
N,100001,l/2,h+radius+.1,1.5*b
N,100002,l/2,h+radius+.1,b/2
Real,20
Type,11
TSHAP,CYLI
E,100000,100001
TSHAP,PILO
E,100002
! Reverse normal vector
ESEL,S,TYPE,,12
ESEL,R,REAL,,20
ESURF,,REVERSE
!Loads
nsel,s,node,,100002
f,all,fy,-10000

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Modeling with ANSYS Boundary Conditions (3)

Simple line load

Modeling the cylinder and the contact

CPU Time

CPU Time

45.4 s

8.3 s

Rigid element Displ

Cylinder Displ
-1.07 mm

-1.01 mm

Max Von Mises stress

150.1 MPa

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Max Von Mises stress

141.3 MPa

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Modeling with ANSYS Analysis

Static Analysis

Buckling analysis

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Thank you for

your attention.

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