Example 5 - Beam Frame

Summary
A beam frame with clamped extremities receives an impact at its mid-point from a pointed mass having
initial velocity. The material is subjected to the elasto-plastic law of Johnson-Cook. The model is meshed
with beam elements. An infinite rigid wall with only one slave node, including the impacted node, is
subjected to the initial velocity. This example is considered a dynamic problem and the explicit solver is
used.
The explicit approach leads to finding a quasi-static equilibrium of the structure after impact.
Title
Beam-frame
Number
5.1

Brief Description
A beam frame receives an impact from a mass having initial velocity.
Keywords

Beam

Rigid wall

Plasticity, Johnson-Cook material (/MAT/LAW2)

RADIOSS Options

Boundary conditions (/BCS)

Initial velocities (/INIVEL)

Beam element (/PROP/BEAM)

Rigid wall (/RWALL)

Input File
Beam_frame: <install_directory>/demos/hwsolvers/radioss/05_Beam-frame/FRAME*
RADIOSS Version
44q
Technical / Theoretical Level
Beginner

Overview
Aim of the Problem
The purpose of this example is to perform a static analysis using beam elements.
Physical Problem Description
A pointed mass (3 kg) makes an impact at point O of a beam frame (see Fig 1 for the geometry) using a
speed of 10 ms-1 in the Z direction. The beams are made of steel and each beam section is squareshaped (each side being 6 mm long).

Fig 1: Geometry of the frame.

Dimensions are: AB = BC = CD = BE = BF = EC = CF = 90 mm.

Points A, D, E, F, E, F are fixed.
The beams have the following properties:

Cross section: 36 mm 2

Moments of inertia in Y and Z: 108 mm 4

Moments of inertia in X : 216 mm 4

The material used is steel having the following properties:

Density: 0.0078 g/mm 3

Youngs modulus: 200 000 MPa

Poissons ratio: 0.3

Yield stress: 320 MPa

Hardening parameter: 134.65 MPa

Hardening exponent: 1.0

All other coefficients are set to default values. Plasticity is taken into account using Law 2 without failure.

Analysis, Assumptions and Modeling Description

Modeling Methodology
The mesh is a regular beam mesh, each beam being 9 mm long (total = 70 beams).

Fig 2: Mesh of the frame showing the position of the nodes.

RADIOSS Options Used

The impacting mass is simulated using a sliding rigid plane wall (/RWALL) having an initial velocity of 10
ms-1 and a mass of 3000 g. Only one slave node exists: the node O to simulate a point impact.
Points A, F, F', D, E and E' are fully fixed.

Fig 3: Boundary conditions

Fig 4: Rigid wall type infinite plane

Simulation Results and Conclusions

Curves and Animations
The main results shown refer to the time history of points B and O with regard to displacements and
velocities.

Fig 5: Displacements of points B and O.

Fig 6: Velocity of points B and O (stabilization).

Fig 7: Normal and shear force on beam element 15 (near to point O).

Fig 8: Energy assessment (stability reached at in 6 ms).

Fig 9: Node displacement (max. = 31.95 mm).

Fig 10: Plastic strain (max. = 20.1%).