This document provides an overview of the process and concepts for 3D finite element analysis (FEA). It discusses:
1) Dividing a 3D problem into tetrahedral or hexahedral elements.
2) The steps involved in 3D FEA, including part modeling, meshing, assigning loads and boundary conditions, and analyzing results.
3) Key concepts like isotropic vs orthotropic materials, structured vs unstructured meshing, and stress types for ductile vs brittle materials.
4) An example problem involving determining stress and displacement of a hinged assembly under a vertical load.
This document provides an overview of the process and concepts for 3D finite element analysis (FEA). It discusses:
1) Dividing a 3D problem into tetrahedral or hexahedral elements.
2) The steps involved in 3D FEA, including part modeling, meshing, assigning loads and boundary conditions, and analyzing results.
3) Key concepts like isotropic vs orthotropic materials, structured vs unstructured meshing, and stress types for ductile vs brittle materials.
4) An example problem involving determining stress and displacement of a hinged assembly under a vertical load.
This document provides an overview of the process and concepts for 3D finite element analysis (FEA). It discusses:
1) Dividing a 3D problem into tetrahedral or hexahedral elements.
2) The steps involved in 3D FEA, including part modeling, meshing, assigning loads and boundary conditions, and analyzing results.
3) Key concepts like isotropic vs orthotropic materials, structured vs unstructured meshing, and stress types for ductile vs brittle materials.
4) An example problem involving determining stress and displacement of a hinged assembly under a vertical load.
This document provides an overview of the process and concepts for 3D finite element analysis (FEA). It discusses:
1) Dividing a 3D problem into tetrahedral or hexahedral elements.
2) The steps involved in 3D FEA, including part modeling, meshing, assigning loads and boundary conditions, and analyzing results.
3) Key concepts like isotropic vs orthotropic materials, structured vs unstructured meshing, and stress types for ductile vs brittle materials.
4) An example problem involving determining stress and displacement of a hinged assembly under a vertical load.
1 Introduction Three-Dimensional (3-D) Finite Element Analysis
o The problem (structure) is divided into smaller, simple three-
dimensional elements (i.e. tetrahedral or hexahedral).
o The difference between tetrahedral and hexahedral elements is as
follow. A detailed explanation on the difference between these two elements is presented in Mesh Development (section 7.5).
Tetrahedral Element Hexahedral Element
7.1 Introduction The example of an object being meshed using tetrahedral and hexahedral elements is as follow;
The object being meshed The object being meshed
using tetrahedral element. using hexahedral element. 7.1 Introduction Why the Analysis is Called as “Linear Static”?
o “Linear” is referred to the condition of two parameters which are:
a) Material Properties: The properties of material in all axes (x, y,
and z) are assumed similar or known as isotropic (see Section 7.4).
b) Contact Properties: The contact surface between two parts is
assumed to be perfectly mated without any significant movements (friction coefficient close to 1.0) (see Section 7.8).
o “Static” is referred to the condition and characteristic of loads
(which having constant magnitude with time) applied onto the models. 7.2 General Analysis Steps There are ELEVEN (11) main steps involved in three-dimensional finite element analysis as follows:
1) Part Modelling Modelling (SolidWorks)
2) Material Properties Assignment 3) Section Assignment 4) Assembly Assignment 5) Steps of Loading Assignment 6) Mesh Development Analysis (Abaqus) 7) Boundary Conditions Assignment 8) Loads Assignment 9) Contact Properties Assignment 10) Analysis 11) Results 7.3 Part Modelling (SolidWorks) The three-dimensional (3-D) model of parts or systems to be analysed must be done in any computer-aided design (CAD) softwares such as SolidWorks.
If the model to be analysed comprises more than one individual part, all individual parts must be perfectly assembled together. There must be no intersection or overlapping occurs between all mating parts.
The completed 3-D model with perfect assembling is saved in ACIS file format (.sat).
The saved ACIS file is then imported into Abaqus for the analysis purpose.
The amendments or alterations on 3-D model (if any) is suggested to
be done in SolidWorks. 7.4 Material Properties Assignment All properties of material such as Young’s modulus (E) and Poisson’s ratio (v) are assumed to be the same in all directions (x, y, and z) or also known as isotropic.
The comparison between orthotropic, anisotropic, and isotropic is
shown as follows;
Orthotropic Anisotropic Isotropic
Material properties Material properties that differ along three Having identical change with all mutually-orthogonal values of a property directions along the two-fold axes of in all directions. object. rotational symmetry. Examples: Wood, Examples: Glass Examples: Wood. composites, and and metals. bones. 7.5 Mesh Development The differences between tetrahedral and hexahedral elements are as follows:
Parameter Tetrahedral Element Quadrilateral Element
For complex geometries Geometry For simple geometries. (i.e. curvy parts). Unstructured mesh Mesh Pattern Structured mesh. (free meshing).
Tetrahedral Elements Meshing Hexahedral Elements Meshing
7.6 Boundary Conditions Assignment There are six degrees of freedom for 3-D FEA which are three for translational movements (Tx, Ty, and Tz) while the other three for rotational movements (Rx, Ry, and Rz) .
Fixed Support
Pin Support
Roller Support 7.7 Loads Assignment In 3-D FEA, the object is commonly applied by several types of load such concentrated force, pressure, and line load. Commonly, the body force that acts at the centroid of the body of an object will be neglected.
Pressure being the most frequent type of load used in the analysis. The comparison between concentrated force and pressure is as follows;
Parameter Concentrated Force Pressure
Point of Applied at nodes. Applied at surfaces. Application Force/Area Units Force (N) (N/m2 or N/mm2) 7.8 Contact Properties Assignment There are two common types of contact modelling that applied in the analysis of 3-D problems which are contact surface with and without friction coefficient.
The higher the friction coefficient value, the more difficult relative movement between two contact surfaces.
The comparison between both types of contact modelling is as follows;
Contact Type Friction Coefficient
No friction coefficient values applied on Without friction the contact surfaces (friction coefficient coefficient values value is nearly 1.0). The contacted assigned (Tie). surfaces are perfectly mated. With friction Certain friction coefficient values (0.1 – coefficient values 1.0) are assigned at the related contact assigned. surfaces. 7.9 Types of Result In 3-D linear static FEA, there are two main results normally presented which are von Mises stress and displacement.
Both result types of analysis are usually presented in their resultant magnitude. However, the result values for each axis (x, y or z) can also be known by changing the result options.
The type of stress result is selected based on the materials of the object. The following table shows the comparison between ductile and brittle materials and their corresponding stress type.
Stress Result Type Ductile Materials Brittle Materials
The examples of von Mises Stress ductile materials are - metal and metal alloys. The examples of brittle Maximum & Minimum - materials are plastics Principal Stresses and ceramics. Example 7.1 (Lab 5: Question 1) Figure 1 shows an assembly drawing of a hinge set. The set consists of two individual hinge bodies with similar dimensions and a pin which connects both hinge bodies together. Figure 2 and Figure 3 exhibit the orthographic projection drawings of hinge body and pin, respectively. Both hinge bodies are made of steel (Young’s modulus, E = 207 GPa and Poisson’s, v = 0.3) whilst the pin is made of aluminium (Young’s modulus, E = 200 GPa and Poisson’s, v = 0.3). The vertical surface of the unattached region of Hinge 1 is fixed and a vertical load of 15 N is applied on the top flat surface of Hinge 2. Investigate the stress and displacement distributions on the hinge set.
