Background

FEA codes operate using true stress true strain data.

For linear elastic material models, inputting the material properties is trivial as the
required material parameters are usually readily available:
Youngs modulus,
Poissons ratio,
Mass density,

When we expect nonlinear behaviour (due to material yielding) we must model (or
input) the elastic and plastic portions of the stress-strain curve for the material.
In this case, as FE analysts, we are often faced with three scenarios:
Case 1a:
We know the type of steel, but have no other material properties information.
Case 1b:
We have the certificate material properties for a material, but no detailed stress-strain data.
Case 2:
We have the experimental engineering stress-strain data for some or all (i.e. to fracture) of the
stress-strain curve.

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Skills
After this lecture you should:
Understand the difference between guaranteed,
certificate, and experimental stress-strain data.
Use either certificate or experimental stress-strain data
to develop a nonlinear stress-strain material model for
use in nonlinear FEA.

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Case 1a: We know the steel grade
Mechanical
Metric Imperial
Properties
If we know the steel grade for the steel
we are trying to model, we can look up Tensile
400 - 550 58000 -
Strength,
the guaranteed material properties for Ultimate
MPa 79800 psi
that grade. Tensile
These guaranteed properties are listed Strength, 250 MPa 36300 psi
in standards that define that grade of Yield
steel (e.g. ASTM A36 (38W)). Elongation at
Break (in 200 20.0 % 20.0 %
E.g. A36 steel the guaranteed
mm)
material properties (from data shown
Elongation at
on the right). Break (in 50 23.0 % 23.0 %
= 200 mm)
= 0.26 Modulus of
200 GPa 29000 ksi
Elasticity
= 250
Bulk Modulus
= 400 550
(typical for 140 GPa 20300 ksi
, 200 = 0.20 steel)
, 50 = 0.23 Poissons
0.260 0.260
Ratio
= 7850
3 Shear
79.3 GPa 11500 ksi
Physical Properties Metric Imperial Modulus
Density 7.85 g/cm3 0.284 lb/in3
A36 steel properties (source).
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Case 1b: We have the Materials
Certs
Material certifications (a.k.a certs) are shipped with the
stock material (plate, rolled sections, etc).

Certs list the basic results of tensile test

experiments conducted on material from the same
production run as the steel you ordered.
Cert values are usually higher than the standard values
for the material grade.
Why do you think this is?

Winter 2017 ENGI 9094 - Advanced Numerical Structural Analysis 5

 See handout for full cert.

A36 Steel Certificate

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Case 1b: Material Certs
The cert on the previous slide is for A36 steel, and it lists
the following material properties:
, = 0.749 . 19.02
= 49 337.8
= 72 496.4
, 2. = 0.30
Notice that the and values are much higher than the
guaranteed values shown in Case 1a.
We usually need to guess:
Youngs Modulus,
Poissons ratio,
Mass density,

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Method 1:
Creating a FEA Nonlinear Material Model for Cases 1a and 1b
Developing a Bilinear Stress-Strain Material Model using
limited data (i.e.
Method 1
1st line Elastic Portion
From guaranteed values (unless given in cert):
= 200
= 0.26

= 7850
3
2nd line Strain Hardening Portion (Plastic Portion)
From guaranteed values or cert values as appropriate for
analysis type (see next slide).

=

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Getting

=
For structural design purposes (i.e. when
underestimating strength is usually prudent and
conservative), we use the lower of the guaranteed
We assume that will occur at the fracture strain, values.
This is conservative because: If being conservative is not appropriate (e.g.
If we take to be at its location in an engineering analysis), we use the cert value if available.
stress-strain curve, will have a much greater
slope, and overestimate the post-necking behaviour of =

the material.
If we take to be at the fracture strain, , it will be
450
in its proper location on the true stress-strain curve.

Millions
s_ult
For structural design purposes (i.e. when underestimating 400 s_ult
strength is usually prudent and conservative) we use the
lower of the given guaranteed values for . 350
If being conservative is not appropriate (e.g. analysis), we
use the cert value, if available. 300 s_fail
Note: With the guaranteed and cert material properties,

Stress [Pa]
250
we do not always know the density, youngs modulus, or
Poissons ratio. 200
s_yield

150
For structural design purposes (i.e. when underestimating
strength is usually prudent and conservative), we use the 100
guaranteed value.
If being conservative is not appropriate (e.g. analysis), we 50
use the cert value if available.
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
Strain [-]

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Case 2: We have Experimental
Data
We can extract the data needed Experimental Engineering Stress-Strain
Data
for use with Method 1, if 600
appropriate.
Although, this is usually not 500

appropriate if we have
experimental stress-strain 400

data

Stress [MPa]
We must convert to true stress- 300

strain.
200
Method 2: Traditional Method
Method 3: Paiks Knock-down 100

Method
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
Strain [-]

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Method 2: Traditional Method
The traditional method for converting engineering
stress-strain data is to use the following equations:
= ln 1 +
= 1 +

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Method III: Paiks Knock-down
Factor Approach
= 1 +
= ln 1 +
where:
1 1
ln 1 + +1 0 < <
ln 1 +
= 2 1 2 1 ln 1 +
ln 1 + + 1 <
ln 1 + ln 1 + ln 1 + ln 1 +

where is the knock-down factor (i.e. scale factor)

is the fracture strain from tensile test
is the strain at ultimate tensile stress from tensile test
1 and 2 are material constants, generally affected by plate
thickness as well as material grade
we may usually use 1 = 0.9 and 2 = 0.85
Paik, J. K. 2007. Practical techniques for finite element modeling to simulate structural crashworthiness in ship
collisions and grounding (part I: Theory). Ship and Offshore Structures 2 (1).

Winter 2017 ENGI 9094 - Advanced Numerical Structural Analysis 12

The material constants: 1 and 2

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Simulation Results

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 for all Methods

We choose beta as appropriate for our analysis and particular material
For steel, we may use = 0 for cases where the structure experiences
reversing stress states (e.g. cyclic loading).
For cases where there is a static load, we may use = 1 (but = 0 is okay).
For some materials, 0 1
The choice of is important for structures experiencing reversing
stress states, and may greatly affect your results
If the simulation is nonlinear (having material or both material and
geometric nonlinearities)

is not explicitly considered in converting stress-strain data into

material models.
It is a general FEA modeling consideration; not a stress-strain input
consideration

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End of Lecture

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