Instruction for performing modal analysis with ANSYS

Structure:
Fixed steel column (DIN, IPE600)
12 m high
3 lumped masses on every 4 meters
each mass is 5000 kg

1. Starting ANSYS by clicing on “Interactive”

-choose working directory
-choose the name of the file

2. DEFINING THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES

2.1 Defining element types

Preprocessor> Element Type> Add/Edit/Delete>
Add> Structural–BEAM–2D elastic> OK
Add> Structural-3D MASS 21>OK
Click on “Type 2 Mass 21”> Options> Set “Rot Inert. Options” to “2D
w/o rot iner”
Close Element Types window
Close Element Type window

2.2 Defining real constants

Preprocessor> Real Constants> Add/Edit/Delete> Add> click on “Type 1 BEAM 3”> OK
Input values for AREA=0.0156
Input values for IZZ=92.08e-5 >OK

Continue from the same spot: Add> click on the “Type 2 MASS 21”>
Input value for MASS=5000> OK

2.3 Material properties

Preprocessor>Material Props> Material Models> 2xclick on “Structural> 2xclick on
“Linear”> 2xclick on “Elastic> 2xclick on “Isotropic”>
Input value EX=210e9 (Young’s modulus)
Input value PRXY=0.3 (Poisson’s ratio)> OK
Continue from the same spot: 2xclick on the “Density”> Input DENS=7850> OK

3. CREATE GEOMETRY

3.1 Keypoints
Preprocessor> Modeling – Create> Keypoints> In Active CS>
Input 1st point: number 1, location 0; 0; 0>APPLY
Input 2nd point: number 2, location 0; 4; 0>APPLY
Input 3rd point: number 3, location 0; 8; 0>APPLY
Input 4th point: number 4, location 0; 12; 0>OK
Close Keypoint window

3.2 Lines
Preprocessor> Create> Lines – Lines> Straight line>
Pick keypoint 1, pick keypoint 2,
Pick keypoint 2, pick keypoint 3,
Pick keypoint 3, pick keypoint 4> OK

Close Lines window

Close Create window

3.3 Defining atributes of the lines

Preprocessor>Atributes – Define> All Lines>
Set material number, real constant number and element type to be 1> OK

Close Define window

3.4. Meshing the model

Preprocessor> Meshing – SizeCntrls> Manual Size – Global – Size>
Choose, either edge length of an element or number of divisions (only one is
applied).
In this example Element edge length=0.5> OK
Close Size Cntrls window

Preprocessor>Meshing – Mesh> Lines> pick all lines> OK

Close Mesh window

3.5 Refreshing the graphical window

Utility Menu> Plot> Multi – Plots>
now you will see the new nodes
(This procedure can be repeated at any time of the analysis)

3.6 Creating Mass elements

Preprocessor> Modeling> Create> Elements> Elem Atributes>
Set Element Type to 2 MASS21
Set Real Constants to 2> OK >
Auto Numebered> Thru Nodes> Pick node at the height 4m> OK
Auto Numebered> Thru Nodes> Pick node at the height 8m> OK
Auto Numebered> Thru Nodes> Pick node at the height 12m> OK
Close Element window
Close Create window

Saving your work:

Utility Menu> File> Save as Jobname.db
Now your file will be saved as “threeDOF.db” in the defined working directory

Close Preprocessor window

4. SOLUTION

4.1 Defining the analysis type

Main Menu> Solution> New Analysis> Modal> OK

Main Menu> Solution> Analysis Options> Subspace, Modes to extract “10” (how many
we want to calculate), Modes to expand “10” (how many we want to view)> OK> for now
it is all right to accept default values> OK

4.2 Defining the constraints

Main Menu> Solution> Apply> Structural – Displacement> On Nodes> pick node 1

(bottom one)> OK> choose “ALL DOF”> OK
Close Displacement window
Close Apply window

4.3 Performing the analysis

Main Menu> Solution> Solve – Current LS> OK

Warning will be issued about zero thickness of the elements, but this does not
effect our analysis now. So click on “Y”
Click on Close
Close Report window

5. REVIEWING THE RESULTS

5.1 Tabular
Main Menu> General Postprocessor> Results Summary>
You will see the window with the frequencies of structural modes in Hz

5.2 Graphical
Main Menu> General Postprocessor> Read Results – First Set> Plot Results> Deformed
Shape> Def+undeformed> OK

For the next mode:… Read Results – Next Set> Plot Results> Deformed Shape>
Def+undeformed> OK
(just for information here 4th, 5th, 6th are vertical ones)

5.3 Changing the backgroud color

Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Style> Background>
Click on “Display Background” to deactivate it and background will be black
(recommended one)
If you want to change it use the “Shaded Background”

5.4. Animation
To make animation of the mode that is on display at the moment:
Utility Menu>PlotCtrls>Animate> Mode Shape> (suggested time delay 0.1)
6. CHANGING THE CONSTRAINTS FOR MODIFIED ANALYSIS
The easiest way is to continue for the current analysis like this:
Main Menu> Solution> Loads Apply> Structural – Displacements> On Nodes> Pick
nodes where we defined the MASS elements> OK> mark the”ROTZ” and make sure to
unmark “ALL DOF”> OK
Here we added constraint to existing system

Close Displacement window

Close Apply window

Now just solve the current system: Solution> Solve> OK…… “Y”
Review the results like in the step 5