Chapter 3 2D Simulations 1

Chapter 3
2D Simulations
3.1 Step-by-Step: Triangular Plate
3.2 Step-by-Step: Threaded Bolt-and-Nut
3.3 More Details
3.4 More Exercise: Spur Gears
3.5 More Exercise: Filleted Bar
3.6 Review
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.1 Triangular Plate 2
Section 3.1
Triangular Plate
Problem Description

The plate is made of steel and designed to

withstand a tensile force of 20,000 N on each
of its three side faces.

We are concerned about the deformations

and the stresses.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.1 Triangular Plate 3
Techniques/Concepts

Project Schematic

Concepts>Surface From Sketches

Analysis Type (2D)

Plane Stress Problems

Generate 2D Mesh

2D Solid Elements

<Relevance Center> and

<Relevance>

Loads>Pressure

Weak Springs

Solution>Total Deformation

Solution>Equivalent Stress

Tools>Symmetry

Coordinate System
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.2 Threaded Bolt-and-Nut 4
Section 3.2
Threaded Bolt-and-Nut
Problem Description
[1] Bolt.
[2] Nut.
[3] Plates.
[4] Section
view.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.2 Threaded Bolt-and-Nut 5

The plane of symmetry

T
h
e

a
x
i
s

o
f

s
y
m
m
e
t
r
y

17 mm
[1] The 2D
simulation
model.
[6] Frictionless
support.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.2 Threaded Bolt-and-Nut 6
Techniques/Concepts

Hide/Show Sketches

Display Model/Plane

Add Material/Frozen

Axisymmetric Problems

Contact/Target

Frictional Contacts

Edge Sizing

Loads>Force

Supports>Frictionless Support

Solution>Normal Stress

Radial/Axial/Hoop Stresses

Nonlinear Simulations
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 7
Section 3.3
More Details
Plane-Stress Problems

Plane stress condition:

Z
= 0,
ZY
= 0,
ZX
= 0

The Hook's law becomes

X
=

X
E


Y
E

Y
=

Y
E


X
E

Z
=

X
E


Y
E

XY
=

XY
G
,
YZ
= 0,
ZX
= 0

A problem may assume the

plane-stress condition if its
thickness direction is not
restrained and thus free to
expand or contract.

XY

XY

XY

XY

X
Y
Z

Y
Stress state at a point
of a zero thickness
plate, subject to in-plane
forces.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 8
Plane-Strain Problems
[2] Strain state at
a point of a plane-
strain structure.

X

Y

Z

XY

XY

Plane strain condition:

Z
= 0,
ZX
= 0,
ZY
= 0

The Hook's law becomes

X
=
E
(1+)(1 2)
(1)
X
+
Y

Y
=
E
(1+)(1 2)
(1)
Y
+
X

Z
=
E
(1+)(1 2)

X
+
Y

XY
= G
XY
,
YZ
= 0,
ZX
= 0

A problem may assume the plane-strain

condition if its Z-direction is restrained
from expansion or contraction, all cross-
sections perpendicular to the Z-direction
have the same geometry, and all
environment conditions are in the XY plane.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 9

RZ

RZ

RZ

RZ
[1] Strain
state at a
point of a
axisymmetric
structure.
[2] Stress
state at a
point of a
axisymmetric
structure.
Axisymmetric Problems

If the geometry, supports, and

loading of a structure are
axisymmetric about the Z-axis,
then all response quantities are
independent of coordinate.

In such a case,

R
= 0,
Z
= 0

R
= 0,
Z
= 0

both

and

are generally not

zero. They are termed hoop
stress and hoop strain respectively.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 10
Mechanical GUI

Pull-down Menus
and Toolbars

Outline of Project
Tree

Details View

Geometry

Graph

Tabular Data

Status Bar

Separators
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 11
Project Tree

A project tree may contain one or more

simulation models.

A simulation model may contain one or more

<Environment> branches, along with other
objects. Default name for the <Environment>
branch is the name of the analysis system.

An <Environment> branch contains <Analysis

Settings>, environment conditions, and a
<Solution> branch.

A <Solution> branch contains <Solution

Information> and several results objects.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 12
Unit Systems
[1] Built-in unit
systems.
[2] Unit system
for current
project.
[3] Default
project unit
system.
[4] Checked unit
systems won't be
available in the pull-
down menu.
[5] These, along with the
SI, are consistent unit
systems.

Consistent versus Inconsistent

Unit Systems.

Built-in versus User-Dened Unit

Systems.

Project Unit System.

Length Unit in <DesignModeler>.

Unit System in <Mechanical>.

Internal Consistent Unit System.

Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 13
Environment Conditions
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.3 More Details 14
Results Objects
View Results
[1] Click to turn on/
off the label of
maximum/minimum.
[2] Click to turn
on/off the probe.
[4] You may
select the scale
of deformation.
[5] You can control
how the contour
displays.
[6] Some results
can display with
vectors.
[3] Label.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.4 Spur Gears 15
Section 3.4
Spur Gears
Problem Description
[2] And the bending
stress here.
[1] What we are
concerned most is
the contact stress
here.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.4 Spur Gears 16
Techniques/Concepts

Copy bodies (Translate)

Contacts

Frictionless

Symmetric (Contact/Target)

Adjust to Touch

Loads>Moment

True Scale
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 17

100

100
1
0
0

5
0

R15

50 kN

50 kN
Section 3.5
Filleted Bar
Problem Description
[2] The bar has
a thickness of
10 mm.
[1] The bar is
made of steel.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 18
Part A. Stress Discontinuity
Displacement eld is
continuous over the
entire body.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 19
[2] Original
calculated stresses
(unaveraged) are not
continuous across
element boundaries,
i.e., stress at boundary
has multiple values.
[4] By default, stresses are
averaged on the nodes, and the
stress eld is recalculated. That
way, the stress eld is
continuous over the body.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 20
Part B. Structural Error

For an element, strain energies calculated using averaged stresses and unaveraged
stresses respectively are different. The difference between these two energy values is
called <Structural Error> of the element.

The ner the mesh, the smaller the structural error. Thus, the structural error can be
used as an indicator of mesh adequacy.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 21
0.0779
0.0780
0.0781
0.0782
0.0783
0.0784
0.0785
0.0786
0.0787
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000
D
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t

(
m
m
)
Number of Nodes
Part C. Finite Element Convergence
[1] Quadrilateral
element.
[2] Triangular
element.
[3] Increasing
nodes.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 22
Part D. Stress Concentration
[1] To accurately
evaluate the
concentrated stress,
ner mesh is needed,
particularly around the
corner.
[2] Stress
concentration.
Chapter 3 2D Simulations Section 3.5 Filleted Bar 23
Part E. Stress Sigularity
The stress in this
zero-radius llet
is theoretically
innite.
Stress singularity is not limited
to sharp corners.
Any locations that have stress
of innity are called singular
points.
Besides a concave llet of zero
radius, a point of concentrated
forces is also a singular point.