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SE1025 FEM for engineering applications

SE1025 FEM: Homework assignment 3, Per.1, 2012/13

Information
The assignments should be solved in groups of two or three students. The deadline of HW3 is October
14th, 6pm. A total of 5 points can be obtained on HW3.

Problem (5 points)
If we consider bending deformation in the xz-plane of a T- shape straight beam extending in the xdirection, an applied bending moment, My, will give rise to a normal stress that varies linearly over the
cross section as y=Mx/Ix z, where Ix is the area moment of inertia. Likewise, a shear force, T, acting
on the beam should give rise to a shear stress. From equilibrium considerations we understand that
this shear stress on the average should be equal to = T /A, where A is the cross sectional area. But,
the question is how does the shear stress distribution look like in detail? In this homework assignment
you will use the FEM program Ansys Workbench to investigate this!
A suitable model problem to study this phenomenon is illustrated in the figure below, showing a
cantilever T-beam subjected to a shear force P at its right end. Due to Symmetry reasons, it is enough
to only model a symmetry half of the beam, for instance the half where y0, and applying symmetry
boundary conditions on the surface y=0. How should such boundary conditions be formulated? Use
Ansys Workbench for the numerical analysis and carry out the computations with two different mesh
sizes, one element size should be two times larger than another. And the value of element size you can
define by yourself. But the element number along the line 1 and line 2 should not be less than 8.
Report your analysis and results as suggested below. Also summarize your results using the front
endpage appended below.
(a) Describe the FEM-models you have analyzed (define all displacement boundary conditions,
external loads, Mesh, type of elements, etc.).
(b) Present the results in graphs, where the shear stress components xz along the line 1 and xy
along the line 2 y=L/2 (Line 1 and 2, respectively are defined in the Figure below). Also
compare the results with the theoretical solution given on the next page.
Use the following values: Youngs modulus E= 200GPa, Poissons ratio = 0.3, L= 100mm, thickness
t=0.5 mm. The values for P, B, H, are given in Table 1 and 2, depends on the person number used on
the front endpage appended below.

mm
01-03
04-06
07-09
10-12

H/mm B/mm
10
10
10
12
12
10
14
14

Table 1: mm=month

dd
01-07
08-15
16-22
23-31

P/N
80
100
120
140

Table 2: dd= day

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Theoretical solution:
PB(H ez )
2Iy
3P
xzmax =
2t(H t)
3
tH
H 2
Iy =
+ Ht ez + Bt(H ez )2
12
2
=

+ /2
+

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SE1025 FEM for engineering applications

KTH HLLFASTHETSLRA

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SE1025 FEM for engineering applications

Ansys Workbench---Guidelines
The guidelines given below should be seen as a compliment to ANSYS Workbench-a short
guideline used in connection with workshop 2, which gives a more thorough description of
how Ansys Workbench is working. How to generate the FEM model of the T-beam example
and how to evaluate the results are briefly outlined below.
1. Generate a T-shape parallelepiped in the zy-plane (0 x L) by use the modes: sketching
and modeling in DesignModeler. (Remember to use a symmetric model with symmetry
surface at y=0.)
2. As stated in the problem above, we want to evaluate the results from the FEM analysis along the
lines {x=L/2, y= t/2, -ez z H-t-ez} and {x=L/2, z= H-ez, 0 y B/2}. In order to do this in
Workbench, we must define these lines at the stage when the model is generated in DesignModeler.
This is done as follows: Create a sketch in xz-plane, define a line in the sketching-mode; generate the
line by crossing the middle of the beam length. And choose Extrude, operation = imprint faces,
Extent Type=Through All, As thin surface = yes with the choice Inward = 0,Outward=0. End
by clicking on Generate. The desired lines now should be defined.
3. Leave DesignModeler . Save project and choose Model. Then you can define the boundary
conditions and simulate results. You can use Fixed support for the boundary surface x=0;
Frictionless support for the symmetry surface y=0.
4. Define external loads by use of the Load- menu: choose defined by components and type in the
force component value with a consistent unit. Leading question: how much of the total force P should
be defined on symmetry half?
5. Check that the material parameters are correctly defined!
6. Generate mesh: you can define the element size at Patch Independent under Mesh. At
Definition of Details of Patch Independent, you can find Curvature and Proximity Refinement,
choose No. And then define the value of Max Element Size. In this assignment, you need to make 2
different mesh sizes. One size is two times larger than another. Note! Dont define the element size
too small, otherwise Ansys Academic Teaching Advanced cant solve your problem because of too
many elements generated. For instance, Max Element Size= 0.0005m and 0.001m should work in this
problem.
7. Start the FEM-analysis (solve the equation system) by clicking on Solve. Notice! Ansys will not
go ahead to do this unless a target result has been specified. Such a target result could for instance be
shear stress, which can be specified by choosing Shear stress in the Stress-menu. To evaluate the
results, choose the right plane of Orientation in the Details menu. Continue and choose Geometrypick line, click on the line and then on apply. A graph of versus the position on the predefined line
is finally obtained. The graph can be saved as a graphics file (jpg, tif, eps, etc.) by clicking on the
button New Image or Figure in the upper right corner of the user window. If you cannot get the shear
graph, the other option is to export your shear results by right clicking Shear stress under Solution,
and choose Export. After that, your results will be saved as .txt file and you can use Excel or Matlab
to plot it.

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SE1025 FEM for engineering applications

Front endpaper HW 3: FEM for engineering applications

Name and Personal number (1):
Name and Personal number (2):
Name and Personal number (3):
Use one of the personal numbers
to determine problem parameters:

yy

mm

dd

Summarize your results below:

Maximum of the shear stress along the line:
Theory results
Element Size
(xz)max
(xy)max

FEM-analysis 1

FEM-analysis 2