ENGI 9091 Adv. Num.

Structural Analysis 2016

ASSIGNMENT 1
1. Please pick one general commercial or open-source FEA code and write a brief history of the
program, including: who started it, what it was originally written to do, a short list of its
capabilities (including linear, nonlinear, implicit, explicit, linear elements, nonlinear
elements, etc…). In particular, please identify what the code is known for (i.e. the purpose
for which that particular code was initially written; or the purpose for which is widely used
today (if they aren’t the same thing)).

2. Your engineering consulting firm has the following contracts:

a. Design a new lifeboat specialized for use offshore Newfoundland. It is a davit hung
lifeboat, and in order to meet SOLAS requirements you have to prove that it is
structurally capable of surviving a swinging impact (during lowering) with the hull of
the vessel to which it is hung; as well as a drop onto water from a specified height.
b. Design rubber engine mounts mounting a medium speed diesel engine to a stiff
structure.
c. Structural design for the main bookstacks floors of a new library.
For each contract, please discuss what type of problems these are, and identify the tools
you could use to solve the problems. Also, please identify the necessary capabilities
required in a FEA code in order to solve each problem; if you can solve each problem with
FEA.

3. Using analytical formulas, the Euler Method, and the Backward Euler Method, please solve a
SDOF spring-mass system with the following parameters/initial conditions:

𝑚𝑚 = 10 [𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘] ∑𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑖=0 𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑖 = 5 [𝑠𝑠]

𝑁𝑁
𝑘𝑘 = 1000 �𝑚𝑚� 𝑥𝑥0 = 1.0[𝑚𝑚]

𝑚𝑚
Δ𝑡𝑡 = 0.001 [𝑠𝑠] 𝑥𝑥̇ 0 = 0.0 � 𝑠𝑠 �

Hints:
Analytical Solution:
𝑥𝑥 = cos(𝜔𝜔𝜔𝜔)
𝑥𝑥̇ = −𝜔𝜔 ∙ sin(𝜔𝜔𝜔𝜔)
Implicit Solution: You do not need to do any root finding or any iteration within each
timestep to solve this particular problem.

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ENGI 9091 Adv. Num. Structural Analysis 2016

Solution Tools: You can use excel, but the problem is easier to control in Matlab (or c++,
etc…).
a. At a timestep of Δ𝑡𝑡 = 0.01 [𝑠𝑠], is the Euler Method stable?
b. At a timestep of Δ𝑡𝑡 = 0.01 [𝑠𝑠], is the Backward Euler Method accurate?
c. What timestep, Δ𝑡𝑡, will keep the solutions accurate within 0.25% over the 5 [𝑠𝑠]
simulation duration?
d. Do not solve the following system. If this was a SDOF spring-mass-damper system,
what would change for, the Euler Method solution and the Backward Euler Method
Solution?

4. You are tasked with conducting a FE analysis of a new concrete dam, which will replace the
existing dam structure on Quidi Vidi Lake. The largest structural loads will come from ice
loads (in the winter). Concrete is a brittle material. In tension it fails by fracture, and in
compression it fails by crushing. The following figure shows the ideal stress-strain curve for
concrete. Ice too, will fail in fracture under tension, and crushing (amongst other failure
modes) in compression. You judge that impact loads from ice are unlikely, and that the
majority of the ice load will come from environmental forces (winds, currents, etc…)
pushing the ice against the dam.

a. Would you model the ice as a deformable body, or would you apply the ice load
using, for example, nodal forces or pressures on elements? Why?
b. Real concrete exhibits elasticity, plasticity, damage, fracture, and strain-rate effects.
Do you have to model all of these material behaviours in this FE model? If not,
which of these material behaviours are necessary to include in this case? Why?

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ENGI 9091 Adv. Num. Structural Analysis 2016

c. Normally, a dam structure would not be composed of plain concrete. Instead, the
concrete would be reinforced internally with steel rebar (or some other steel
structure). This is done primarily to improve the response of concrete under
tension. You are faced with the choice of whether to model the dam as a
heterogeneous combination of concrete and rebar finite elements (thus requiring
separate material models for both the concrete and the steel finite elements), or to
model the dam as a homogeneous finite element structure (i.e. rebar not explicitly
modeled) that uses a material model which combines the material behaviours of
both the concrete and the steel. Please comment on the advantages and
disadvantages of both approaches, and which approach is likely more appropriate
for this problem scenario.
d. Besides the ice load, are there any other loads that should be included in your FE
model? If so, what are they?
e. Based on your answers above, would you choose an implicit code or an explicit code
to model this the new concrete dam?

5. Please use the steel stress-strain data provided to answer the following questions:
a. Please use the data in combination with Method I to develop a bilinear material
model for this steel. Assume that the strain in any part of the FE model will not
exceed 15%.
i. What are the inputs for:
1. The elastic part: 𝜌𝜌, 𝐸𝐸, 𝜈𝜈
2. The plastic part: 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 , 𝐸𝐸𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 , 𝜀𝜀𝑓𝑓 . Please defend your choice of 𝐸𝐸𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 .
ii. How would your choice of 𝐸𝐸𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 change if you expected FE strains close to the
fracture strain, 𝜀𝜀𝑓𝑓 .
b. Please use the traditional method, Method II, to approximate the true stress – true
strain curve for the data.
i. Use the results to create a bilinear material model. Assume that the strain in
any part of the FE model will not exceed 15%.
c. Please use the Paik’s knock-down method, Method III, to approximate the true
stress – true strain curve for the data.
i. Use the results to create a bilinear material model. Assume that the strain in
any part of the FE model will not exceed 15%.
d. Compare 𝐸𝐸𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 from a., b., and c. above.
i. How do the results of Method I compare with Method III in this case?

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