Printing - Obtaining and Assigning Beam Cross-Section Properties Using HyperBeam - HM-3020

Obtaining and Assigning Beam Cross-Section Properties
Using HyperBeam - HM-3020

For this tutorial it is recommended that you complete the introductory tutorial, Getting Started with
HyperMesh - HM-1000. Familiarity with the display options in HyperMesh, as well as with the creation and
editing of collectors will be particularly useful.
In FEA, beams are typically modeled as 1-D elements. In this tutorial you will learn how to obtain beam
section properties for various types of beam cross-sections using HyperBeam, a module within
HyperMesh. You will also learn how to populate the fields of property collectors with these beam
properties, and assign the property collector to a beam element you create.
This tutorial is particularly useful for becoming familiar with the modeling of beam sections for 1-D
elements (beam, bar, and rod) in HyperMesh. The focus is on obtaining and assigning beam-section
properties, not on creating beam elements themselves.
The main panels used in this process are the HyperBeam panel for the definition of beam cross-section,
and the collectors panel for assigning the computed values to actual beam elements. For more
information regarding a specific panel, refer to the Panels section of the HyperMesh on-line help, or click
the HyperMesh help button while in the panel to activate its context-sensitive help.
This tutorial requires about 45 minutes to complete and uses a file located in the
<install_directory>/tutorials/hm/ directory. For detailed instructions on how to locate the
installation directory <install_directory> at your site, see Finding the Installation Directory
<install_directory> or contact your systems administrator.
The model geometry represents different types of cross-sections used in this tutorial – standard, shell,
and solid. The model consists of a solid cylinder attached to a hollow trapezoidal structure, which is
further joined to an irregularly shaped solid component (see image below).
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Model geometry
To model beam cross-sections in HyperMesh:
HyperBeam is a HyperMesh module that allows you to define and calculate the beam cross-sectional
properties of simple as well as complex models to represent them as simple bar/beam elements.
Modeling beam cross-sections is a three-step process in HyperMesh. First use HyperMesh (HyperBeam
panel) to define the beam cross-section. A variety of entities can be used (lines, elements, or surfaces)
unless you want to use a standard section, in which case, entities are not required. Then use the
HyperBeam module to complete the definition of your beam section and obtain the properties. Finally,
return to HyperMesh to assign the beam properties calculated in HyperBeam to a property collector, and
to assign this property collector to 1-D elements.
Three types of sections can be modeled using HyperBeam: standard sections, shell sections, and solid
sections.
• Standard sections are any of the following types
Standard sections available in HyperMesh
• Shell sections are used for thin-walled cross-sections. A shell section is defined by a set of
entities (lines or elements) that represent the mid-plane of the thin-walled section. The thickness
of the section is specified in HyperBeam. An example of this type of section is an irregular box
section. Note that you can create both open and closed thin-walled sections.
• A solid section is defined by a set of entities (lines, elements, or surfaces) that form a closed
loop. HyperBeam creates a mesh in the area enclosed by the curves and calculates the
properties using this mesh.
HyperBeam calculates the section properties with respect to the centroid of the cross-section, and also
with respect to a user-defined system. The properties are saved along with the HyperMesh file and can
be retrieved at any point. If you expect to repeatedly use a user-defined section in different models, it can
be saved for subsequent retrieval in a different HyperMesh model.
To retrieve the model:
In this section, retrieve the model for this tutorial and load the Nastran user profile. Since a property
collector will be created, a template must be loaded.
1. Using the files panel, retrieve the file hyperbeam.hm from the
<install_directory>/tutorials/hm/ directory.
2. From the Geom page, use the user profile… button to load the Nastran user profile.
The model geometry represents different types of cross-sections: standard, shell, and solid. You will
create a standard circular section to represent the cross-section of the cylinder, a shell section created
with lines to represent the cross-section of the hollow trapezoidal feature, and a solid section created with
lines to represent the cross-section of the solid irregular feature.

The model is organized into four collectors: one contains all the surfaces, two contain the lines for the
shell-section and the solid-section, respectively, and the last component stores beam elements.
To model a standard circular section using HyperBeam:
In this section, use the standard section sub-panel of the HyperBeam panel to quickly model a solid
circular section.
To define a circular cross-section, HyperBeam requires the diameter of the cross-section as input.
Measure the diameter of the section before invoking HyperBeam using the distance panel from the
Geom page.
1. Create three nodes on the circle defining the base of the solid cylinder using the create nodes panel
from the Geom page.
- From the Geom page, select the create nodes panel.
- Select the on line sub-panel.

- With the lines selector active, select the circular line defining the base of the cylinder.
- Set number of nodes = to 3.
- Click create.
This generates three nodes on the line, two of which are located at the same location (since the
circular line is a line that closes upon itself). With the two independent locations left, you can
measure the diameter.
Nodes on circle to measure diameter
2. Use the distance panel from the Geom page to measure the distance between the two nodes
diametrically opposed.
- From the Geom page, select the distance panel.
- Select the two nodes sub-panel.
- For N1 and N2, pick the two nodes that are diametrically opposed.
The distance between the two nodes, which is the diameter of the circle, is displayed in the
diameter = field and reads 110 units.

3. Create a solid circle standard section in the HyperBeam panel.
- Select the HyperBeam panel from the 1D page.
- Select the standard section sub-panel.
- Click the switch and select the solid circle option from the pop-up menu.
- Click create.
The HyperBeam window is launched with a solid circle cross-section displayed in the center
pane. The left pane (Section Browser) lists the cross-sections defined in the model and the right
pane (Results Window) displays the results for the various beam properties computed for the
dimensions displayed.
HyperBeam window (standard section)
Note: For detailed information on HyperBeam, see the HyperBeam section in the HyperMesh
User's Guide / Building Models / Calculating Beam Properties on-line help.
4. Modify the diameter of the cross-section and assign the value measured earlier.
- Click the value shown in the figure to highlight it.
- Type in 110 and press ENTER.

The value of the diameter and the quantities computed for the cross-section are updated and
displayed in the Results Window. These properties are calculated based on the dimensions that
were input. The formulae for calculating these properties can be found in the on-line help.
HyperBeam calculates, for example, the area of this cross-section, its moments of inertia and its
torsional constant.
Note: Alternatively, you could drag the graphical handles that represent the diameter of the
cross-section until the diameter changes to the desired value.
5. Assign the name Solid Circle to this cross-section in the Section Browser.
- In the Section Browser, click the name of the cross-section under the auto1 folder.
- Type in Solid Circle and press ENTER.
6. Save the properties computed in HyperBeam for the solid circle.
- From the menu bar, select the File menu.
- Click Save.
7. Use the File menu to Exit HyperBeam and return to HyperMesh. Click Yes in the confirmation box.
The information that was computed is automatically stored in a beamsect collector with the name you
specified for the section. This beamsect collector is later used to populate the fields of a property
card.
Note: Since geometry information was available, this cross-section could have been defined as a solid
section using the solid section sub-panel. A standard section was used instead because it did
not require selection, although it required a diameter measurement.
You may save your HyperMesh model to your working directory at this point.
In this section a beam cross-section for standard sections was created using HyperBeam. You also
learned how to specify the dimensions for the standard section, and how to save this section for
subsequent use.
To model a shell section:
In this section, the shell section sub-panel of the HyperBeam panel is used to model a beam section for
the trapezoidal feature of the geometry.
Use the lines in the pre-defined component shell_section to define the section. Note that these lines are
located at the mid-plane of the trapezoidal geometry. In addition to these lines, HyperBeam also requires
the thickness of the feature as input to calculate the shell section properties.

Shell section lines
You can use various panels, such as the distance panel, to find the thickness of this feature. The
thickness of the feature is equal to two units.
1. Create a shell section using the lines in the shell_section component.
- From the 1D page, select the HyperBeam panel.
- Select the shell section sub-panel.
- Set the entity selector to lines.
- Click lines and select by collector.
- Select the shell_section collector from the list and click select.
- Set cross section plane: to fit to entities.
- Click specify node to make this option active.

- In the graphics region, hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse on top of one of the
mid-plane lines.
- Release the left mouse button when the line is highlighted and click anywhere on the highlighted
line to define the base node.
- Set part generation: to auto.
- Click create to bring up the HyperBeam window.
Note: The cross section plane: option allows the software to define the plane for calculating beam
cross-sectional properties based on the entity (lines/element) selection. A user-controlled
plane can also be defined by changing the cross-section plane using the toggle.
When using the fit to entities: option you can select a reference node for the plane if you
want properties about a point other than the section centroid. This is done using the plane
base node: option. This node defines the origin of the coordinate system that serves as the
reference when computing the various beam cross-section properties. All the properties are
calculated both about the centroid and about the node you select.

Shell section
The coordinates of the centroid are calculated with respect to the user-defined coordinate system
appearing at the node location specified earlier. The coordinates of the shear center are calculated
both from the centroid and from the origin of the section. Local Ys and Zs are the coordinates of the
shear center with respect to the origin of the section, while principal Vs and Ws are the coordinates
of shear center from the centroid of the section.
2. Modify the thickness of the cross-section and assign the value of 2 units.
- Click on the value shown in the figure to highlight it.
- Type in 2 and press ENTER.
The values for the beam properties computed in the Results Window are updated.
3. Rename the section to Trapezoidal Section.
4. Save your data using the File menu.
5. Exit from HyperBeam panel using the File menu.

In this section, a beam cross-section representing a shell section was created using HyperBeam, and the
thickness for the shell section was assigned. Note that the shell section is defined with only one thickness
as it is defined as one part. For shell sections comprised of multiple parts, each part is assigned an
independent thickness.
You may save your model to your working directory.

To edit a shell section in HyperBeam:
In this section, experiment with some of the HyperBeam editing tools on the shell section. Use the edit
section sub-panel to load the shell section back into HyperBeam and modify its dimensions and
geometry.
HyperMesh saves the geometry and property data of a shell section in beamsect collectors. This data is
used to restore the section in HyperBeam and hence modify it.
1. Load the Trapezoidal Section cross-section back into HyperBeam using the edit section sub-panel.
- From the 1D page, select the HyperBeam panel.
- Select the edit section sub-panel.
- Click beamsect and select Trapezoidal Section from the list of beam section collectors.
- Click edit.
HyperBeam is displayed with the selected cross-section. Note that the state of the cross-section
is retained and shows the dimensions used when the section was last saved.
Some of the typical changes to a section involve:
• Modifying the thickness of the section
• Changing the orientation of the section
• Modifying or adding new geometry to the existing section
• Moving the origin of the user coordinate system to a new location

The previous section showed how to change the thickness – just click on the displayed thickness,
enter the new value, and save.
The options in the Tools menu of the HyperBeam window allow you to perform advanced
modifications such as breaking segments, joining segments, creating parts, moving vertices, etc.
Detailed information on these tools can be found in the , HyperBeam section of the HyperMesh
User's Guide / Building Models / Calculating Beam Properties on-line help. You can also click Help
on the menu bar to directly access this information.
HyperBeam tools for shell sections
These options can be invoked using either the Tools menu or the icons on the right of the toolbar.
Use the Break a Segment option to divide the segment 1-4 (defined by vertices 1 and 4) and use the
Move Vertices option to move the new vertex formed to make the section look like a pentagon.

2. Break segment 1-4 adding a new vertex using the Break a Segment tool.
- From the Tools menu select Break a Segment.

The corresponding icon on the toolbar is deflated. The section turns blue indicating that you are
about to break a segment.
- Click anywhere between vertices 1 and 4.
This adds a new vertex with ID 5 indicating that segment 1-4 is broken into two segments, 1-5
and 5-4.
Breaking a segment
Note: Breaking a segment amounts to adding a vertex, which can be useful in changing the
geometry and properties of a cross-section. Since this does not break a part, it will not affect
the thickness that is applied to the current part.
To turn on and off vertices, use the Vertex IDs option from the View menu.
3. Move vertex 5 to form a pentagon using the Move Vertices tool.
- From the Tools menu select Move Vertices.

- Move the mouse cursor on top of vertex 5 until it turns blue.
You can now grab the vertex and drag it to a new location.
- Drag the vertex vertically upward so that a pentagon is formed.
Moving a vertex
This operation moves vertex 5 to a new location and the section now resembles a pentagon.
Note how the centroid and shear center change as well as the beam properties. A new
cross-section has been created, a new design for which the properties could be closer or further
from intended values. This tool can be used in the initial stages of design to achieve the
functional requirement of a component.
When beams have the same cross-section, but are rotated by an angle, it is possible to easily

re-calculate the properties of a shell section at a new position. Use the Reorient Shell Section…
option from the Tools menu to:
• Move the origin of the cross-section to the desired location.
• Specify the new y-axis or to re-orient the section.

4. Move the origin of the cross-section (user-defined system) to the location of the centroid.
- From the Tools menu select Reorient Shell Section….

A dialog opens.
- Under Specify Origin choose at current centroid.
- Click OK.
The origin of the user-defined coordinate system is now at the centroid of the cross-section, and
all the properties calculated with respect to this system and the centroid system are identical.
The properties calculated with respect to the user-defined system are the ones that can be
automatically passed to property collectors. This allows you to obtain the properties at the
centroid of the cross-section.
Moving the origin to the centroid

In a similar way, the origin can be moved to a particular vertex, to the current shear center, or it
can be offset from its current location.
5. Specify the y-axis as pointing from the origin to vertex 2 using the Reorient Shell Section dialog.
- From the Tools menu select Reorient Shell Section….
- Under Specify y-axis choose origin to vertex and enter 2 in the field.
- Click OK.
The orientation of the shell section is changed such that the y-axis is now aligned with the origin
and vertex 2. All the properties are updated as well as the definition of the centroid and shear
center.

Specifying a new y-axis
6. Exit HyperBeam without saving the changes you made to the shell section.
In this section you learned how to edit an existing section. You have also learned about some of the
advanced options of HyperBeam used in modifying a shell section such as break a segment, move
vertex, and re-orient shell section.
To create a solid section using lines:
In this section, model the irregular solid feature of the geometry as a solid section using the solid section
sub-panel of the HyperBeam panel.
The input for a solid section can be 2-D elements, surfaces, or a set of lines that form a closed area. Use
the lines in the solid_section collectors to define the solid section.
1. Create a solid section using the lines in the solid_section component.
- From the 1D page select the HyperBeam panel.
- Select the solid section sub-panel.
- Set the entity selector to lines.
- Click lines and select by collector.
- Select the solid_section collector from the list and click select.
- Set cross section plane: to fit to entities.
- Click specify node to make it active.
- Select a node within the area formed by the lines by holding the left mouse button down until a
line or the surface highlights and then click anywhere on the highlighted entity.

Defining the solid section
- Set analysis type: to first order.
This option tells HyperBeam to use 1st order (linear) elements to calculate the properties of the
section.
− Click create to launch HyperBeam.

HyperBeam meshes the area enclosed by the selected curves with quadrilateral elements, and
the properties are calculated using these elements.
Solid section
The properties of sections are stored in beamsect collectors and in the current model database file.
Additionally, they can be exported to a text file using a right mouse click in the Results Window.
Finally, when a beam section is to be used in different HyperMesh models, the properties can also be
exported as a Beam Section File (.bm)using the File menu, Export Selection… option. This file can
be loaded in any HyperMesh model using the import sub-panel of the files panel.
2. Export the properties to a text file using the right mouse button in the Results Window.
- Position the mouse cursor in the Results Window.

- Click the right mouse button, and select Save Results to File….
A Save As file browser displays to allow you to select an output location and name for the text file.
- Save the file to your working directory using any name.
A file is saved with the information displayed as it appears in the Results Window. You can open
this file with any text editor to review the information it contains.
3. Rename the section Solid Section and save your data.

4. Exit from HyperBeam.
In this section, you learned how to model a solid section using HyperBeam. You also experimented with
the export function for the beam properties. Now that the cross-sections are defined, you can assign the
properties to property collectors.
To assign beam properties to a property collector and a beam element:
In HyperMesh, you can easily assign the beam properties computed in HyperBeam and stored in a
beamsect collector to your solver beam property card. To achieve this, simply create a property collector
with the solver beam property card of interest, and assign the beamsect collector to the property collector.
When creating an actual beam element, simply assign the property collector to the element itself.
1. Create a property collector with a PBEAM card and assign the Solid Circle beamsect collector to it.
- Create/edit a props collector with name = standard_section, card image = PBEAM, and
material = steel.
- In the card previewer, click beamsec twice and select Solid Circle from the list of beamsect
collectors defined in the model.
The properties calculated using HyperBeam are automatically assigned to the PBEAM card.
Observe that the values of the parameters (A, I1a, I2a, I12a, J, etc.) are extracted from the
properties of the selected section.
2. Create a beam element in the bars panel with a direction vector set to the global x-axis and using
the standard_section property.
- From the 1D page, select the bars panel.
- Click property = and select standard_section.
- Click the lower left switch and select vectors as the option to define the orientation of the beam.
- Set the direction to x-axis.
- Click node A to make it active.

- In the graphics region, hold the left mouse button down and place the cursor on top of the line
that runs though the cylinder until it is highlighted.
- Release the left mouse button and select two nodes at the ends of the line for node A and node
B.

Creating a beam element
The beam element is created and placed into the beam component.
Note: When creating beam elements, the z-axis is defined by the two nodes selected as node
A and node B. The direction of the cross-section (x or y axis) is defined either by using
components, vectors, or a direction node. Due to the nature of this solid circle, how you
define the x or y axis is unimportant.
Changes made to a beamsect collector (for example, through editing of a cross-section) are also
automatically applied to any property collector referencing this beamsect collector.
This concludes this tutorial. You may discard this model, or keep it for your own reference.
In this tutorial, you experimented with the tools and techniques for modeling beam cross-section and
obtaining their properties using HyperBeam. You learned how to edit cross-sections and assign their
properties to property collectors, which can then be assigned to 1-D elements.
For more details on how to create 1-D elements, review the tutorials, Creating 1-D Elements - HM-3000
and Connecting Components with 1-D Elements - HM-3010. Additional techniques for creating 1-D
elements from connector entities are discussed in the tutorial, Creating Connectors - HM-3400.
See HyperMesh Tutorials for a complete list of tutorials.

Printing - Obtaining and Assigning Beam Cross-Section Properties Using HyperBeam - HM-3020

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Obtaining and Assigning Beam Cross-Section Properties

Using HyperBeam - HM-3020

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To model beam cross-sections in HyperMesh:

• Standard sections are any of the following types

Standard sections available in HyperMesh

To retrieve the model:

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To model a standard circular section using HyperBeam:

- From the Geom page, select the create nodes panel.

- Select the on line sub-panel.

- Set number of nodes = to 3.

Nodes on circle to measure diameter

- From the Geom page, select the distance panel.

- Select the two nodes sub-panel.

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- Select the HyperBeam panel from the 1D page.

- Select the standard section sub-panel.

HyperBeam window (standard section)

- Type in 110 and press ENTER.

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6. Save the properties computed in HyperBeam for the solid circle.

- From the menu bar, select the File menu.

To model a shell section:

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1. Create a shell section using the lines in the shell_section component.

- From the 1D page, select the HyperBeam panel.

- Select the shell section sub-panel.

- Set the entity selector to lines.

- Click lines and select by collector.

- Set cross section plane: to fit to entities.

- Click specify node to make this option active.

- Set part generation: to auto.

- Click create to bring up the HyperBeam window.

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3. Rename the section to Trapezoidal Section.

4. Save your data using the File menu.

5. Exit from HyperBeam panel using the File menu.

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- From the 1D page, select the HyperBeam panel.

- Select the edit section sub-panel.

• Modifying the thickness of the section

• Changing the orientation of the section

• Modifying or adding new geometry to the existing section

• Moving the origin of the user coordinate system to a new location

HyperBeam tools for shell sections

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- From the Tools menu select Break a Segment.

3. Move vertex 5 to form a pentagon using the Move Vertices tool.

- From the Tools menu select Move Vertices.

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• Move the origin of the cross-section to the desired location.

• Specify the new y-axis or to re-orient the section.

- From the Tools menu select Reorient Shell Section….

- Under Specify Origin choose at current centroid.

Moving the origin to the centroid

- From the Tools menu select Reorient Shell Section….

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To create a solid section using lines:

1. Create a solid section using the lines in the solid_section component.

- From the 1D page select the HyperBeam panel.

- Select the solid section sub-panel.