Workshop 8 Structured Hex Meshing: Pipe Creep Model

You need to consider the type of element that will be used before you start building the mesh for a particular problem. A suitable mesh design that uses quadratic elements may very well be unsuitable if you change to linear, reduced-integration elements. For this example use 20-node hexahedral elements with reduced integration (C3D20R). Once you have selected the element type, you can design the mesh for the intersecting pipes. A possible mesh for the intersecting pipes is shown in Figure W81.

Figure W81. Suggested mesh of C3D20R elements for the intersecting pipe model ABAQUS/CAE offers a variety of meshing techniques to mesh models of different topologies. The different meshing techniques provide varying levels of automation and user control. The following three types of mesh generation techniques are available: Structured meshing Structured meshing applies pre-established mesh patterns to particular model topologies. Complex models, however, must generally be partitioned into simpler regions to use this technique. Swept meshing Swept meshing extrudes an internally generated mesh along a sweep path or revolves it around an axis of revolution. Like structured meshing, swept meshing is limited to models with specific topologies and geometries. Free meshing The free meshing technique is the most flexible meshing technique. It uses no preestablished mesh patterns and can be applied to almost any model shape.

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When you enter the Mesh module, ABAQUS/CAE color codes regions of the model according to the methods it will use to generate a mesh: Green indicates that a region can be meshed using structured methods. Yellow indicates that a region can be meshed using sweep methods. Pink indicates that a region can be meshed using the free method. Orange indicates that a region cannot be meshed using the default element shape assignment and must be partitioned further. In this problem you will create a structured mesh. You will find that the model must first be partitioned further to use this mesh technique. After the partitions have been created, a global part seed will be assigned and the mesh will be created. To begin this workshop, start a new session of ABAQUS/CAE from the workshops/pipeCreep directory. Open the database containing the pipe creep model. To partition the pipe model: 1. From the Module list located under the toolbar, select Mesh to enter the Mesh module. The part is colored orange initially, indicating that with the default set of mesh controls, a hexahedral mesh cannot be created. Cell partitions are required to permit structured meshing. 2. Partition the pressure vessel in half as shown in Figure W82: A. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPartition to open the Create Partition dialog box. B. In this dialog box, select Cell as the type and Define cutting plane as the method. C. Click OK. D. In the prompt area, choose the Point & Normal technique to define the cutting plane. Choose the point indicated in Figure W82 as the point through which the cutting plane will pass and any vertical edge of the pipe as the normal to the plane. The bottom half of the vessel turns green, indicating it is structured meshable.

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Normal to the cutting plane

Point through which cutting plane passes

Figure W82. Cell partition

The region containing the pipe intersection will be partitioned using a combination of face and cell partitions. These partitions are described next. 3. Partition the faces of the pipes on the symmetry planes as follows: A. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPartition to open the Create Partition dialog box. E. In this dialog box, select Face as the type and Sketch as the method. F. Click OK. G. Select the face shown in Figure W83 as the face to be partitioned. H. Choose the edge shown in Figure W83 as the edge that will appear vertical and on the right side of the sketch. I. From the main menu bar, select AddConstruction to define two Vertical and two Horizontal construction lines, as indicated in Figure W84. J. Use the Create Lines: Connected tool to define two sketch lines as indicated in Figure W84. K. Repeat steps A through G for the symmetry face shown in Figure W85. Create the construction geometry and sketch lines indicated in Figure W86. The partitioned symmetry faces appear as shown in Figure W87.

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Edge that will appear vertical and on the right of the sketch

Partition this face

Additional horizontal and vertical construction lines

Figure W83. First face partition

Vertical construction line through vertex B

A B
Horizontal construction line through vertex A

Sketch lines; use intersections of construction lines as snap points

Figure W84. Construction geometry for first face partition

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Edge that will appear vertical and on the right of the sketch

Partition this face

Figure W85. Second face partition

Horizontal and vertical construction lines through vertex C

C D

Horizontal sketch line from vertex C to the intersection of the construction lines Additional vertical construction line

Skewed sketch line from vertex D to the intersection between construction line and curved edge of part

Figure W86. Construction geometry for second face partition

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Figure W87. Partitioned symmetry faces 4. Partition the inner surface of the pressure vessel using a curved path between two edges: A. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPartition to open the Create Partition dialog box. L. In this dialog box, select Face as the type and Curved path normal to 2 edges as the method. M. Click OK. N. Select the face shown in Figure W88 as the face to be partitioned. O. In the prompt area, choose Pick as the method by which to select the edge points. P. Select the edges and points indicated in Figure W89 to define the partition. The partitioned face appears as shown in Figure W810.

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Figure W88. Inner surface of pressure vessel

point edge point edge

Figure W89. Edges and points used to define partition

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Figure W810. Partitioned inner face 5. Finally, partition the cells of the pipe using the n-sided patch technique: A. From the main menu bar, select ToolsPartition to open the Create Partition dialog box. Q. In this dialog box, select Cell as the type and N-sided patch as the method. R. Click OK. S. Select the top half of the pipe as the region to be partitioned. In the prompt area, click Select Corner Points as the method by which to specify the patch. Use 4 corner points to define the patch. T. Select the points indicated in Figure W811 as the points defining the patch, and create the partition. Be sure to select the points in the order indicated in the figure. The top portion of the pipe is now colored green. U. Repeat the above steps to partition the center cell of the model using the points indicated in Figure W812 as the points defining the 4-sided patch. 6. After you have partitioned the part, all part regions should be colored green, as shown in Figure W813. This indicates structured hexahedral element meshing will be used everywhere.

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Point 3 Point 4 Point 2 Point 1

Figure W811. First 4-sided patch

Point 3

Point 4

Point 2 Point 1

Figure W812. Second 4-sided patch

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Figure W813. Partitioned geometry To assign a global part seed and create the mesh: 1. From the main menu bar, select SeedInstance; specify a target global element size of 0.027. Seeds appear on all the edges. 7. From the main menu bar, select MeshElement Type to choose the element type for the part. Because of the partitions you have created, the part is now composed of several regions. A. Use the cursor to draw a box around the entire part and, thus, select all regions of the part. Click Done in the prompt area. V. In the Element Type dialog box that appears, select the Standard element library, 3D Stress family, Quadratic geometric order, and Hex, Reduced integration element. Click OK to accept the choice of C3D20R as the element type. 8. From the main menu bar, select MeshInstance. Click Yes in the prompt area to mesh the part instance. The resulting mesh is shown in Figure W81. 9. Save your model database, and exit your ABAQUS/CAE session.