Exercise H Mesh Convergence

Finite Element Analysis in Practice Steps for Exercises 4.00 07/11/2005 75

Exercise H
Mesh Convergence
2-D Elements
Objective: To perform a static stress analysis with linear material models on a classical problem by
utilizing different meshes densities. Use meshes of 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 elements.

Geometry: The part shown below is 1" thick.




Loads: 1000 psi on the right edge.

Constraints: Fully fixed at the left end.

Elements: 2-D Plane Stress

Material: Stainless Steel (AISI 302) Cold-rolled

Exercise H Mesh Convergence
Finite Element Analysis in Practice Steps for Exercises 4.00 07/11/2005 76

Exercise H Mesh Convergence
Finite Element Analysis in Practice Steps for Exercises 4.00 07/11/2005 77
Solution
Building the Model
The mesh for the 2-D elements will be generated from a sketch in the FEA Editor environment.


"Start: Programs: ALGOR V17:
FEMPRO"
Press the Windows "Start" button. Select the
"Programs" pull-out menu and then select the
"ALGOR V17" pull-out menu. Select the
"FEMPRO" command.
"New" Select the "New" icon at the left side of the dialog.
"New" Press the "New" button.

Exercise H Type "Exercise H" in the "File name:" field in the
"Save As" dialog. Note the default folder location
where the analysis files will be created. This location
can be changed by navigating to an alternate working
folder if desired.

"Save" Press the "Save" button.

"Geometry: Sketch: New Sketch" Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Sketch" pull-out menu. Select the "New
Sketch" command.

"OK" Press the "OK" button to create a sketch in the YZ
plane at X=0.

"Geometry: Sketch Entities:
Rectangle"
Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Sketch Entities" pull-out menu. Select the
"Rectangle" command.

<Enter> Press <Enter> to define the origin as the first corner of
the rectangle.

4 <Tab> 1.5 <Enter> Type "4" in the "Local X:" field, press <Tab>, type
"1.5" and press <Enter> to define the point (4,1.5) as
the opposite corner. (Note: The sketch geometry is
always drawn in the YZ plane.).

"Geometry: Sketch Entities: Circle:
Center and Point"
Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Sketch Entities" pull-out menu. Select the
"Circle" pull-out menu and select the "Center and
Point" command.

2 <Enter> Type "2" and press <Enter> to define the point (2,0)
as the center of the circle.

2.45 <Enter> Type "2.45 and press <Enter> to define the point
(2.45,0) as a point on the circle.
Exercise H Mesh Convergence
Finite Element Analysis in Practice Steps for Exercises 4.00 07/11/2005 78


"Geometry: Tools: Trim" Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Tools" pull-out menu. Select the "Trim"
command.
Mouse Click on the lower horizontal line.
Mouse Click on the circle.

Mouse Click on the lower half of the circle. It will be
removed from the sketch.
Mouse Click on the semicircle.
Mouse Click on the lower horizontal line.

Mouse Click on the part of the horizontal line inside the
circle. It will be removed from the sketch.

"Geometry: Sketch Entities: Center
Line"
Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Sketch Entities" pull-out menu. Select the
"Center Line" command.

<Tab> 0.75 <Enter> Press <Tab>, type "0.75" and press <Enter> to define
the point (0,0.75) as the beginning of the center line.

4 <Tab> 0.75 <Enter> Type "4", press <Tab>, type "0.75" and press
<Enter> to define the point (4,0.75) as the end of the
center line.
<Esc> Press <Esc> to exit the center line command.
Mouse Click on the center line.
<Ctrl> Mouse Holding down the <Ctrl> key, click on the semicircle.

"Geometry: Tools: Mirror" Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Tools" pull-out menu. Select the "Mirror"
command.

"Geometry: Tools: Trim" Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Tools" pull-out menu. Select the "Trim"
command.
Mouse Click on the upper semicircle.
Mouse Click on the upper horizontal line.

Mouse Click on the part of the horizontal line inside the
circle. It will be removed from the sketch.

"Geometry: Sketch: Finish Sketch" Access the GEOMETRY pull-down menu and select
the "Sketch" pull-out menu. Select the "Finish
Sketch" command.

Mouse Right click on the "Sketch 1" heading in the tree
view.
"Generate 2-D Mesh" Select the "Generate 2-D Mesh" command.
200 Type "200" in the "Mesh Density" field.

"Preview" Press the "Preview" button. The default mesh is
acceptable.

"OK" Press the "OK" button to load the mesh into the FEA
Editor environment.

Exercise H Mesh Convergence
Finite Element Analysis in Practice Steps for Exercises 4.00 07/11/2005 79
Defining the Element Parameters

Mouse Right click on the "Element Definition" heading for Part 1 in
the tree view.

"Modify Element
Definition"
Select the "Modify Element Definition" command.

1 Type "1" in the "Thickness" field.
"OK" Press the "OK" button.

Mouse Right click on the "Material" heading in the tree view under
Part 1.
"Modify Material" Select the "Modify Material" command in the menu.

"Stainless Steel (AISI 302)
Cold-rolled"
Highlight the "Stainless Steel (AISI 302) Cold-rolled" option
in the "Select Material" section.
"OK" Press the "OK" button.

"Selection: Select: Surfaces" Access the SELECTION pull-down menu and choose the
"Select" pull-out menu. Select the "Surfaces" command.
Mouse Click on the surface at the right end.
Mouse Right click in the display area.
"Add: Surface
Pressure/Traction"
In the menu, select the "Add" pull-out menu and select the
"Surface Pressure/Traction" command.

-1000 Type "-1000" in the "Magnitude" field.
"OK" Press the "OK" button.

Adding the Loads and Constraints
Mouse Click on the surface at the left end.
Mouse Right click in the display area.

"Add: Surface Boundary
Condition"
In the menu, select the "Add" pull-out menu and select the
"Surface Boundary Condition" command.
"Fixed" Press the "Fixed" button.
"OK" Press the "OK" button.

Running the Analysis

"Analysis: Perform
Analysis"
Access the ANALYSIS pull-down menu and select the
"Perform Analysis" command. The model will be analyzed
and will be loaded in the Results environment.

Viewing the Results
"Results: Stress: Stress
Tensor: 2) YY"
Access the RESULTS pull-down menu and select the "Stress"
pull-out menu. Select the "Stress Tensor" pull-out menu.
Select the "2) YY" command. The accepted value for the stress
in this direction is 3,550 psi.

Exercise H Mesh Convergence
Finite Element Analysis in Practice Steps for Exercises 4.00 07/11/2005 80
Analyzing the Model with Different Mesh Sizes
"Tools: FEA Editor" Access the TOOLS pull-down menu and select the "FEA
Editor" command.
Mouse Right click on the "2-D Mesh 1" heading in the tree view.
"Modify" Select the "Modify" command. Type the new mesh density
value in the "Mesh Density" field and repeat the rest of the
exercise.