Tutorial 3 (Basic):

Beam Elements
Laurence Marks

In this simple tutorial the user builds a framework model using a 3D wireframe
read in from a CAD system.

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 1. Geometry Import
Import the geometry in the fform of an .iges file – Tutorial 3.igs

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 2. Material and section properties

Start to define the material properties – go into the properties module

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 Define
efine a linear Steel property. E=210GPa, NUXY=0.3

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 Now create a section – this adds the beam cross sectional info.

Then apply this section the framework geometry

geometry.

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 We then orientate the beam sections.

Select the beam sections that you wish to orient and type in a reference direction
(in this case 0,1,0) and the local direction of the beam is displayed
displayed..

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 We can render the beam sections to view them graphically. Go to View in the
menu bar and select ‘Part Display Options’. In the ‘Part Display Option’ window
change the render type to shaded and then check ‘Render Beam Profiles’ and
apply the new settings.

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 Instance the parts in the assembly module.

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 3. Define the first analysis step

Create a static general step with the following settings.

Nlgeom: On
Initial Increment size: 0.1
Max Increment size: 0.1

The Nlgeom option updates the geometry as the analysis progresses. This is
generally used for Non-linear
linear and large displacement analyses.

The increment settings specify that the first time step attempts to solve 0.1/1 of
the analysis rather than the entire analysis like the previous tutorials. It also
specifies that there should be a minimum of 10 time steps in the solution and that
no time step should be larger than 0.1/1.

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 4. Define restraints and loads
In the load module define the loads and restrain
restraints

Fix the 4 corner points at one end of the box in all 6 degrees of freedom.
freedom Add a
100N concentrated force vertically to the model at each of the 4 corners on the
opposite end.

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 5. Meshing
Define a global mesh seed of 20mm.

Then hit the meshing icon to mesh the model.

After this operation the model should essentially look unchanged.

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 6. Create and
nd Submit a Job

Whilst
hilst the solution is running monitor its progress
progress.

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 7. Open the results file and plot the results

Sets the deformation scale

Sets the deformation scale

Plots the stresses

Animates the image

Try animating the image to see how the restraints hold the model in place whilst
the force deforms the opposite end.

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