Workshop 2

Explicit Dynamic Elements

14.5 Release

ANSYS LS-DYNA
in Mechanical APDL
© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. February 5, 2013 1 Release 14.5
 Explicit Dynamic Elements
• This workshop’s intent is to determine the effects of element formulation
(both reduced versus fully integrated and linear versus quadratic), element
shape, and stiffness-based hourglass control for a static cantilever beam
analysis in ANSYS LS-DYNA. The required input file is elemform.inp.

• Step-by-step instructions are shown on the following slides. Your instructor

will give those details particular to your site.

• elemform.inp is fully commented, and includes a discussion on the results at

the end of the input file. By default, the model will construct the cantilever
beam with reduced integration cube-shaped elements with stiffness-based
hourglass control added. The results are compared for each configuration
examined.

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. February 5, 2013 2 Release 14.5

 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• Start ANSYS/Multiphysics/LS-DYNA in the GUI mode

• Read in the input file “ elemform.inp ”

Utility Menu > File > Read input from … > elemform.inp > OK
OR issue:
/input, elemform.inp

• At the prompt, enter the number corresponding to the beam model desired (see
next slide for choices) and click on OK. The default is to construct the cantilever
beam from reduced integration cubed-shaped bricks with added stiffness-based
hourglass control (CHOICE #1).

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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• Nine cantilever beam models can be compared:
– 1 - Reduced Integration Cubes with Hourglass Control (default)
– 2 - Reduced Integration Cubes without Hourglass Control
– 3 - Full Integration Cubes (No Hourglassing)
– 4 - Reduced Integration 3:1 Bricks with Hourglass Control
– 5 - Full Integration 3:1 Bricks (No Hourglassing)
– 6 - Degenerate Brick Tets with Hourglass Control
– 7 - Degenerate Brick Tets without Hourglass Control
– 8 - 10-Node Tets with Quadratic Interpolation (No Hourglassing)
– 9 - 10-Node Tets with Composite Assemblage (No Hourglassing)

• Half-symmetry model
• Left end of beam fixed
• Elastic material data
• Downward tip load
– GUI always shows +
direction

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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• The solution time is dependent upon the
model chosen (and the machine used),
but the first five beam choices should all
run in a few minutes, with the 4th choice
being the fastest.
• After the solution is done, it will briefly
display a time history plot of the tip
deflection compared to the theoretical
value.
• After a few seconds, this plot is replaced
with a summary plot of all of the beam
cases run thus far (see next slide).

• Therefore, you can continue to re-run the elemform.inp input

file until all of the beam cases have been examined, if desired.
The tip deflections and run times for all of the models are shown
on the next slide.
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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
#4
Theoretical
#3
#9
value is
#8
#5 shown as

#2
horizontal
#1 blue line
#6 #2 (-0.08705 m)

#7

• Run times are based on a Dell

Precision M6400 Quad core PC
running Windows 7 Professional
with 4 CPUs

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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• You can review the element formulation settings as shown:
Preprocessor > Element Type > Add/Edit/Delete …
Pick the SOLID164 (or SOLID168) type from the list and select Options …
Click on Cancel and then Close when done

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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• Review the material properties and local hourglass settings:
Utility Menu > List > Properties > All Materials
OR issue:
mplist
• Local hourglass
control applied to
ANSYS LS-DYNA
materials is applied
on a Part ID basis
in LS-DYNA itself
(see matsum file).

– Type 5 hourglass control (Flanagan-Belytschko stiffness form with exact

volume integration for solid elements) is often used.
– Increasing the mass density to speed up the run time (the 10.0 second
solution time is an eternity for explicit codes) will introduce error, so
exercise great caution if using this technique (discussed later).
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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• To view the damping specified by the EDDAMP command,
issue:
edsolv$stat ! There is no GUI equivalent to this command

• Large mass-proportional
(ALPHA) damping used to
quickly remove dynamic
response. Using critical
damping (ALPHA >> 2.0)
• The above information is sent to the would not have decreased
ANSYS output window (or output the required run time.
file).
• Stiffness (BETA) damping
• MPLIST only lists BETA damping also used to eliminate high
specified via the MP,DAMP frequency vibrations.
command.

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 … Explicit Dynamic Elements
• A complete discussion of the analysis results is contained at the end
of the input file, elemform.inp. List this file to view the discussion:
Utility Menu > List > Files > Other … > elemform.inp > OK

• Using the LS-DYNA matsum file, compare the ratio of hourglass energy to internal
energy for each beam analyzed. Element shape and shear locking also influence
the results. Although this example does not compare every factor involved in
getting good results, it does touch upon some of the key issues that should be
examined.

© 2012 ANSYS, Inc. February 5, 2013 10 Release 14.5