What do you do with Singularities?
• If theyy are located far away
y from the region
g of
interest, you can focus post-processing away from
that part of the model
• If they are located in the region of interest, you will
need to take corrective action
How do you Correct for Singularities?
• Adding a fillet at re-entrant corners and re-
runing
i ththe analysis.
l i
• Replacing a point force with an equivalent
pressure load
load.
How do you Correct for Singularities?
• “Spreading out” displacement constraints
over a sett off nodes.
d
• Turning on material plasticity
• Using Stress
S Linearization
Can I Use Symmetry?
• Symmetric structures can be modeled by a smaller
representative portion or cross-section
cross section
• Easier to create, can use a finer mesh
• Quicker run times– can run multiple load scenarios,
multiple
lti l configurations
fi ti muchh quicker
i k
• It can be used when geometry, material behavior and
loading g are symmetric
y about the same plane(s).
( )
• Generally can NOT use symmetry in modal analysis,
as the mode shapes are not always symmetric.
Symmetry
• Types of symmetry:
– Axisymmetry
– Rotational
– Planar or reflective
– Repetitive
p or
translational
Symmetry, Interrupted
• Sometimes a small detail
interrupts symmetry
• Can ignore it, or treat it as
symmetric– best to do a
small test case if unsure
Superelement
• A superelement is a single element that has the
same stiffness as a large portion of a structure
• Can model in detail the area of interest, then use one
or more superelements for the rest of the structure
• Can
C use superelements
l t ffor repeating
ti parts
t off a
structure
• Also known as substructuring g
• Requires more pre/post-processing
• The stiffness is exact, damping/mass is not
Modeling Bolts
• Solid model if you need stress in bolt
• Beam model if you don’t
• Modeling threads increases model size– may
be too much detail
Bolt Pretension
• Affects stresses and
deflections
• Traditionally, imposed a
strain on the bolt equal to the
pretension strain (requires
multiple solutions)
• Can instead use pretension
element.
• ANSYS can automate bolt
pretension in either interface
Check geometry
• If importing model, do some checks of the
di
dimensions
i – don’t
d ’t assume it’
it’s right!
i ht!
• Make sure the model is in the required units
system
• If the model was created in a system different
from the material data and loads
loads, you need to
scale the model by the proper conversion
factor
Choice of elements
• 2D vs 3D vs line
– 2D elements are spatially
3D, but in the model they
are geometrically 2D
• Element
El O
Order:
d lilinear,
quadratic, polynomial
• Specialized elements?
(composites, concrete,
acoustics, coupled field)
• Geometric dimensionality--
how the geometry is
Line Elements
• Beam elements have bending and axial
strength. They are used to model bolts,
tubular members, C-sections, angle
irons, etc.
• Spar or Link elements have axial
strength They are used to model
strength.
springs, bolts, preloaded bolts, and truss
members.
• Spring or Combination elements also have axial strength, but
instead of specifying a cross-section and material data, a
spring stiffness is entered
entered. They are used to model springs
springs,
bolts, or long slender parts, or to replace complex parts by an
equivalent stiffness.
Which Beam Element?
• Several types of beams are usually available
– Different
Diff tbbeam th
theories
i are used d
• Bending in BEAM188/189 is linear, unlike that in BEAM4;
use several elements to model a member with 188 or 189
• BEAM44 and BEAM188/189 include shear deformation
– Some elements have special features:
• Tapered beams (BEAM44)
• Section offset (BEAM44, BEAM188/189)
• Section visualization, including stresses (BEAM44,
BEAM188/189)
• Initial strain input (BEAM4, BEAM44)
• Initial stress input (BEAM188/189)
Shell Elements
• Can use a shell when the maximum unsupported dimension of the
structure is at least 10 times the thickness
• Use to model thin panels or tubular structures
• “Thick” shell elements include transverse shear, “thin” shell elements
ignore this.
• Shell elements can be 2D or 3D; 2D shells are drawn as a line, 3D as
an area
Shell Pitfalls
• Modeling tubes with straight-edged shells will
result in a faceted model
– The nodes are on the true surface, so the
lengths of the elements are smaller than
the circumference– inaccurate cross-
section for axial stress
– Pressure will produce spurious
circumferential bending moments at the
nodes
– Use finer mesh, or use elements with
midside nodes
Shell Pitfalls
• When shell elements meet at a T,
material is duplicated
• Can be easier to simply mesh the
outer surface of a model, but the
element does not correspond to the
center of the actual plate
– Local bending is now changed
– Can use shell offset to
accommodate this (SHELL91,
SHELL99, SHELL181)
• Connecting shell and solid elements
tricky
– Different DOFs
Solid-Shell Element
• 3D Solid brick (or prism)
element without bending
locking
• Nodes have same DOFs as
3D elements– can connect
thin and thick structures
without constraint equations
or MPCs
• Can model varying thickness
bodies without using multiple
real constants
2D Solid Elements
• Used to model a cross-section of solid objects.
• Must be modeled in the global Cartesian X X-Y
Y plane
plane.
• All loads are in the X-Y plane, and the response
(displacements) are also in the X-Y plane.
• Element behavior may be one of the following:
– plane stress
– plane strain
– generalized plane strain
– axisymmetric
– axisymmetric harmonic
Plane Stress
• Assumes zero stress in the Z direction.
• Valid for components in which the Z dimension is
smaller than the X and Y dimensions. Y
• Z-strain is non-zero.
• Optional thickness (Z direction) allowed
allowed. Z X
• Used for structures such as flat plates subjected
to in-plane loading, or thin disks under pressure or
centrifugal loading
loading.
Plane Strain
• Assumes zero strain in the Z direction.
• Valid
V lid ffor components
t iin which
hi h th
the Z
dimension is much larger than the X
and Y dimensions.
Z
• Z-stress is non-zero.
Y
X
• Used for long, constant cross-section
structures such as structural beams.
