Lecture 5

Solving Truss Problems

with ABAQUS

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

Introduction: In this lecutre you will learn to use the 2-D Truss
element in ABAQUS.
Physical Problem: A power transmission tower is a common
example of a structure that is made up of only truss members.
These towers are actually 3-D structures, but for the sake of
simplicity we will take a cross-sectional face of the tower. The
tower is mainly subjected to loading in the vertical direction
due to the weight of the cables. Also it is subjected to forces due
to wind. In this example we will consider only loading due to
the weight of the cables, which is in the vertical direction.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

Problem Description:
The tower is made up of trusses.
Units: Use S.I. units ONLY
Geometry: the cross sections 6.25e-3 m^2
Material: steel with modulus of elasticity
E=200 GPa.
Boundary conditions: shown in the figure.
Loading: shown in the figure
Objective:
To determine deflection at each joint.
To determine stress in each member.
To determine reaction forces at the base.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

1 Start ABAQUS/CAE
On the Windows Main Screen click Start>Programs>ABAQUS 6.10
>ABAQUS CAE
On the pop up start window, choose with Standard/Explicit Model

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

2 Create Part
Click
create partat the left tooling zone
or in the main menu, choose part >create.
The right window comes up
Namechange the part name to truss2D
Modeling Space2D Planar
Base Featurewire
Approximate size20
clickContinue

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

On the left of the pop-up window is the tooling zone for
drawing
Click
model

create linesconnecteddraw line to finish the

Click the middle key of the mouse to quit the drawing line
mode. Click the middle key again to quit the drawing
environment.
The truss structure is created

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

3 Create Material

On the left tooling zone,

click

create material

a window Edit Material

pops up

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

input Steel as the material
name
Click

Mechanical>Elasticity>Elastic ,

then input 200e9 as the Youngs

modulus
Click OK

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

4 Create Section
Click

(create section),

Select Beamfor Category

and Truss for Type. Give

the section name as Section1.

In the Edit Sectionwindow,

select steel as the material,

input 6.25e-3 for crosssectional area, and click OK

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

5 Assign Section to Elements

Click
Assign Section
select the elements to assign section
In the Edit Section Assignment ,
select Section-1, and click OK

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

6 Define Assembly
In the Module, select Assembly

In the tooling zone, select

Instance Partor in the main
menu select Instance>Create.
In the Create Instancewindow
Select the created partChoose
Instance TypeDependent click OK

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

7 Define Step
In the Module, select
Step

In the tooling zone, click

Create Step, or in the
main menus select
Step>Create.
In the Create Step
window, define the step name
as apply loadselect
Static, general, click
ContinueIn the pop-up
Edit Stepwindow, set
Nlgeom as off, click
OK

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

8 Define Loads
In Module select Load

click
Create Loadin the Create Load window
select Concentrated force, click ContinueSelect the
points for applying the loadsclick done, then the Edit
Loadwindow pops upinput CF1 as 5000CF2 as 0click OK

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

9 Define Boundary Conditions
Click
Create Boundary Continue
In the Creat Boundary ConditionSelect Displacement, click
OK
Select the bottom left pointclick done, then in the Edit
Boundary condition, set U1, U2, U3 be zero, click OKRepeat
the procedure for the right corner point, but only U2 is set to be
zero.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

10 Meshing
In the Module, select Meshselect Part for object

Click
Seed Edges
select the whole modelthe
Local seedswindow pops up.
Select By Numberfor
MethodSet Number of
Elements to 1click Ok

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

Click

Assign

Element Typeselect the

whole modelclick done,
the Element Typewindow
pops up, select trussfor
family, choose T2D2 for
element type
Click

Mesh Part

click ok to mesh the

frame.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

11 Submit Job
In Module select Job
Click
Job Managerin the Job Manager window
click CreateClick Continuethe Edit Job window pops up
keep all parameters to their default value, click Ok

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

In Job Manager click SubmitYou can see that the status changes
from Submitted to Running and finally to Completed.
The job is now finished.

Click ResultsABAQUS automatically transfer to Visualization

mode for postprocessing

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

12 Post-processing
Click

(Plot Undeformed

Shape
Click

Plot Deformed

Shape
Click

Allow Multiple

Plot Statesthen click

and

, the deformed and

undeformed shapes can be presented in

the same figure.

Click

(Plot Contoursto

plot contour figures.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

12 Post-processing
To save the figure shown on the screen, select file>print in the
main menu. In the Printwindowselect file for destination
key in the file and fold name in File nameselect Format , for

example PNGclick ok.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

Select

AnimateScale Factorto show animation for

deformation

Click Tools>Queryselect Probe valuesclick OKset Probe to

be Nodesselect S,Misesmove mouse to a node, its Mises stress
will be displayed.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

In Probe Values select Field Output the Field Output window
pops upselect the variable to be displayed , for example

click OkThe contour for U1 is displayed. Put the mouse on a

node, , its values will be displayed.

Lecture 5: 2D Truss Structures

Click Report>Field output in the main menuselect the variable
to be output , for example S11in setup change the output name
for example S11.rpt click OKopen S11.rpt to get the results

Assignment 2: 2D Truss Structure

Problem Description:
1. Determine the nodal deflections, reaction forces, and stress for the truss
system shown below
2. E = 200GPa, A = 3250mm2 for truss member 1-4, 6, 8-11. E=120GPa,
A=1230 mm2 for truss member 5, 7
3. Take out the forces at points 1 and 7, run the analysis again and compare
the results with the previous case. What are the differences and why?

Important:
Convert all dimensions and forces into SI units.
List the results of the analysis.
Plot the deformed shape. Deadline for submission 2014-3-20