ANSYS Sample Beam Problem

Preparation Make a sketch of the structure Choose your global reference frame Number the nodes Calculate the nodal coordinates Calculate the section properties of each element: E, I, J, A, w and beam height h Accessing ANSYS from Windows computers Login / Password (CAEDM Login) Create a subdirectory for ANSYS Start / Programs/CAD Programs/ Run RGS for Windows and login again Start / Programs/CAD Programs/ ANSYS11X /ANSYS Run ANSYS ANSYS Setup [PlotCtrls] >Zoom/Pan/Rotate

Rev. 6/7/10

(drag this menu to the right of your workspace)

Open ANSYS Model File [ ] = Top menu bar; > = Side menu bar [File] >Change Directory (change default directory) [File] >Change Jobname (enter name for new problem. Default: file) Note! this will keep you from overwriting previous day's work) [File] >Change Title (enter title for new problem) [File] >Switch Output to> jobname.out Note! Checkmark [] Append box [File] >Resume db jobname.db (restore unfinished problem) >Preferences Select: Structural & h-method (turns off thermal, electromag, fluid, Flotran menus)
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Create Model Create Beam Model >Preprocessor >Element Type >Add/Edit/Delete <Add> Select: Beam 2D elastic <Options> K9 (5) K6 >Real Constant >Add/Edit/Delete <Add> A=100, Iz = 10, h=10, Shrz=1 >Material Properties >Material Library (Click on menu item to expand menu)

(create a group for each element type, cross section) (outputs 5 intermediate points between nodes) (Include Output) <close> (define Iz, h for each size beam A, Shrz, w are optional) (Large A => stiff axially, Shrz=0 to negl shear defl) (enter or select from library) (Dont forget to select units!!!)

Select units <OK> Select material from list or

(English=BFT or BIN, feet or inches) (N/A - the material library is not installed)

>Material Model >Structural >Linear >Elastic >Isotropic (double click) Ex is Young's Modulus 30e6 PRxy is Poisson's Ratio 0.3 <Close window> >Modeling>Create (Create nodes) >Nodes > In Active CS (enter x, y, z coordinates from keyboard) <Apply> to enter data and continue or <OK> to end or >Nodes > On Work Plane (enter x, y, z coordinates using mouse)

>Modeling >Create >Elements >Element Attributes

(create beam elements) (define each type of beam) (select Type #, Material #, Real Constant # or Shape for each change in beam properties) Auto Numbered>Thru Nodes (choose 2 nodes for each beam, using mouse) Pick 1-2 Apply, 2-3 Apply, 3-4 Apply <OK>

Model Check Use the [List] and [Plot] options to check model geometry and coordinates [List] >Nodes or [Plot] >Nodes Coord. Only, by Node No. <OK> [File] Copy to Output file [File> Close] [List] >Elements (Nodes+Attrib+Const) or [Plot] >Elements [File] Copy to Output file [File> Close] Use [PlotCtrls] to change display [PlotCtrls] >Numbering > Nodes ON Elements Colors and Numbers [Plot] >Elements (re-plot with colors) Collapse the Preprocessor menu [Save db] (on ANSYS Toolbar) (Back up your model before you execute solution!!)
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Loads, BC, and Solution >Solution >Analysis Type >New Analysis (default is Static) >Define Loads >Apply >Structural >Displacements - On nodes (define constraints) Pick node <Apply> 1 All DOF - as Constant <Apply> 4 X,Y dir - as Constant <OK> >Apply >Structural >Force/Moments - On nodes (define applied loads) Pick node <Apply> 2 FX -10000 <Apply> (Check: Nodes All DOF 3 MZ-20000 <OK> Forces on all nodes) NOTE: to apply a distributed load (called pressure load in ANSYS): >Define Loads >Apply >Structural >Pressure >On Beams Select: Beams<Apply> Enter: Load number, I node pressure, leave J node blank [Save db] (Back up your model before you execute solution!!)

>Solve - Current LS (Load Step)

(submits completed problem to FEM solver)

Status window lists solution options executed. Banner appears: "Solution is done!" Collapse the Solution menu. [Save db]
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View Results >General Postprocessor >Plot Results >Deformed Shape Select: Deformed and Undeformed Shape <OK> [PlotCtrls] Hard Copy (see below) >List input data: Nodal coordinates, elements, properties, real constants, loads, constraints. >List Results: Nodal Solution, DOF>Dispt Vector Sum Reaction Solution All Items Element Solution All Available Force Items Element Solution >Line Element Results >Element Results <OK> ( Stress in local beam coordinates: X=beam axis, Y =max dist from neutral axis SDIR=stress-axial, SBYT =stress-bending(Top), SBYB =stress-bending(Bottom) at I & J nodes SMAX & SMIN are the sum of axial and bending stresses at each node) (copy each list to the Output file) >Print Results [File] >Print "lpr" (default printer or dctb 450 psa, -cb 230 ps2) or...[File] >Copy to Output File (send to file: jobname.out) >Plot Element Solution Graphic Screen Capture - Print or save to a file [PlotCtrls] >Hard Copy Select: Graphics Window, Gray Scale, Jpeg, Reverse Video, file name Send to default printer: lp-d CB230ps (substitute printer for your lab) Or, Print to a File (choose a file name) NOTE! Reverse video is important! Black background uses too much toner. Print Table or Output File [File] >Print (Use File option in the table window) Send to default printer: lp-d CB230ps (Substitute printer for your lab)
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Other ANSYS Features Dependent Contraints >Preprocessor >Couple / ceqn 0 = -1*4Y + 0.2*4X

Angled constraint: at node 4, displ in Y dir. equals

0 = -1*4X + 1*3X 0 = -1*4Y + 1*3Y

0.2* displ in X dir. (i.e. positive slope) Pin joint: coincident nodes 3 and 4 move together in the X and Y dir, but rotate independently

Help To print a Help file, use the [File] menu on the Help window. Help - Table of Contents - Workbook Sample Problems

Help - Table of Contents - Procedures Manual Sec. 2.4 Typical ANSYS Analysis Sec. 11.2 General Postprocessor Sec. 12.5 Creating Graphs App. A File Management Help - Beam3 (description of beam elements)

Files Created by ANSYS Look in your ANSYS directory. jobname.db Database file - your ANSYS input data jobname.dbb Backup of database file - created when you do a Save-db jobname.emat Element matrices jobname.err Error/warning log jobname.esav Saved element data jobname.log Command history - complete record of commands used in a session jobname.out ANSYS Output file jobname.rst ANSYS Results file Accessing ANSYS from States Login / Password Create a subdirectory for ANSYS Look at the directory Move to the subdirectory Rename files from previous runs Execute ANSYS UNIX commands (Use the Xwindows interface if you prefer) [ ] mkdir ansys [ ] ls [ ] cd ansys [ ] mv fold.ext fnew.ext [ ] xansys