Department of Mechanical Engineering

MEC 313: Finite Element Techniques

Project 1 - 2019
Aim
The aim of this project is to produce a finite element model of a stressed plate containing
a hole. Each student will perform an analysis of a different structure. Students are
encouraged to co-operate with others, to facilitate their understanding and improve their
modelling approach and prediction accuracy.

Report
Each student will produce an individual report which should include:

(i) a mesh refinement study

(ii) element shape considerations (rectangular against triangular)
(iii) comparison between 4 and 8-noded isoparametric elements
(iv) concentration factors
(v) an engineering assessment of the problem including the resistance to
fatigue for 107 cycles (see Figure 1)

There is a limit of 1000 words and 10 figures. The marks breakdown will be as follows:
Analysis approach, model construction and mesh quality (40%), Results and
interpretation (40%), Engineering assessment (10%), report quality and writing style
(10%).

This assignment is worth 50% of the overall module grade.

Deadline
Reports must be submitted by Monday 18 March 2019 (Week 7) by 11.59 a.m. through
Turnitin AND a hard copy handed in to the MEC Student Support Office, 36-38 Victoria
Street. The departmental policy on late submission will be applied.

The model
In all cases the model is a plate 1000 mm long x 300 mm wide x 10 mm thick, containing
a hole whose size across the plate width is 100 mm and whose corner fillet radii are 10mm,
as shown in Figure 2. Each student will receive a value for the hole height, X and the hole
offset from the axis of the plate, offset, as well as the material their plate is made out of,
material. These details are in the “Project 1 configurations” sheet on MOLE located in the
“Assignment 1” folder under “Assessment”.
The plate is clamped at one end and loaded at the other by two equal point loads of 250N
each, directed normal to the plate. The position of the loads on the edge corresponds to
the position of the tips of the hole.
There are two material cases.
(a) 1047 Steel, a medium carbon steel.
(b) 2014 –T6 Aluminium Alloy.

Models may contain a maximum of 1000 elements; The number of elements in your
model can be displayed by going into Model, click on Mesh to display Details of
“Mesh”, scroll down and expand the option called “Statistics”. The total number of
elements (and nodes) in your model should be displayed. You must include this as an
appendix to your report.

Project Data
Material Yield Strength,
Y (MPa)
1047 steel 800
2014-T6 Aluminium 490
Table 1: Strength data for materials

Figure 1: Fatigue Data for materials

Figure 2: Hole in a plate set up (not to scale)