AE4ASM003 Homework 2

Notes

Hand out date: Tuesday, 22.09.2015, from 1530

Hand in deadline: Monday, 05.10.2015, before 1730

Read the assignments and answer the questions as asked

Use only Finite element methods to work out the assignments

Answers should be concise (short) and to the point

Answers must be given in English only

Work out must be hand written originals (online students may upload pdf on
blackboard as a TurnItIn assignment)

Mark all pages with your registration number and personal variables (%A to %G)

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become data for variables 1 5 4 7 7 2 2. Thus, variable %E = 4 while %B = 2

Question 1 of 3
The 2 dimensional support structure shown in the figure 1 is one of the series of portals
supporting the walls and roof of a warehouse. The FE model for the portal consists of 5elements of which 4 beam elements (axial and transverse force plus in-plane bending) on
the outside (1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5) and a truss element (axial force only) on the inside (2-4).

Figure 1

The dimensions of the structure are

the beam and the truss elements is

= % and

= % . The cross-sectional area of both

= % ; Youngs modulus for both equals

10 . The moment of inertia of the beam elements is =

=%

The structure is clamped at its supports (1,5). The structure is loaded by snow on its roof

( ) and wind pushing against its left wall, overpressure ( ) and pulling on its right wall,

underpressure ( ). The distributed snow pack is assumed to have a constant thickness

resulting in an equivalent load of

peak equal to

= % at 2 and 4.

= % . The wind pressure is a linear function with a

In the given problem, identify any special boundary conditions or situations that can help
you reduce the size of the model. If you fail to find such a condition, your computational
time will be doubled, and your grade will be halved! For these problem characteristics with

the boundary conditions taken into account,

a.

Determine the (global) load vector

b.

Determine the displacements

c.

Determine the reactions

d.

Determine the internal force in member 2-4

e.

Verify the correctness of your solution by comparing results with question 2 of this
assignment

Question 2 of 3
Using the same variable as the previous problem, use your preferred finite element package
to analyse question 1 for the following three conditions:
1.

Only snow loads

2.

Only wind loads

3.

Combined snow and wind loads

Please hand in a copy of the .bdf files if you are using PATRAN/NASTRAN or the .inp files if
you are using ABAQUS. No other files are needed as hand-ins!

Question 3 of 3

Figure 2

Figure 2 defines the variables for a beam element. As a work-out of an assignment one of
the students converted the coordinate x to the isoparametric coordinate =
1 ( 1
1) and handed in the following transformation matrix for this element
= !1

3
2

(1

$ )&

1
2

3
4

( 1

8&

$)

3.a. Verify whether this transformation matrix is correct by providing a workout and a
supporting explanation.

Figure 3

As a part of the same assignment a distributed load ( ) as shown in figure 3 was added to
the beam element. The equivalent load vector computed as part of the same work is
*+,-./012 -34

24
5
=
6 95 9
120 725
115

3.b. Verify whether this equivalent load vector is correct by providing a workout and
supporting explanation.