Explicit Dynamics Chapter 4 Exp Dyn Basics

Chapter 4
Explicit Dynamics Basics
ANSYS Explicit Dynamics
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.
1-1
February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665
Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI

Menus
Training Manual
Toolbars
Graphics Window
Tree Outline
Details View
Message Window
Status Bar
ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Menus
Training Manual
The menus provide much of the functionality present in Explicit Dynamics. The more commonly used menu items are covered below:
The title bar lists analysis type, product and active ANSYS license.
File > Clean to delete mesh and / or results from database.

Units to change units on-the-fly. Tools > Options to customize settings and options.
Help > Mechanical Help to access documentation.

Analysis Type Product License
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Toolbars

Toolbars provide quick access to functionality.
Training Manual
Toolbars can be repositioned anywhere on the top of the Mechanical window. The Context toolbar updates depending on what branch is active in the Outline tree.
Offers options similar to those available by RMB on the active branch
Tooltips appear if the cursor is placed over a toolbar button.
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Toolbars

Standard toolbar
Bring up Mechanical Wizard (Not available for Explicit Dynamics) Annotations Comments
Training Manual
Capture Snapshot
Solve Model Slice Planes
Graphics toolbar
used for selection and graphics manipulation:
Select mode
Selection Tools
Graphics Manipulation
Viewports
The left mouse button can be either in selection mode or graphics manipulation mode. The above toolbar buttons are grouped as select entities and graphics manipulation control. The graphics selection can be done using individual selection or box-selection. This is controlled by the Select Mode icon.
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Outline Tree
Training Manual
The Outline Tree provides an easy way of organizing the model, materials, mesh, loads, and results for the analysis.
The Model branch contains the input data required for the analysis The Explicit Dynamics branch contains the initial conditions, loads, supports and analysis settings required to run the analysis. The Solution branch contains result objects and solution information
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Outline Tree
Training Manual
The Outline Tree shows icons for each branch, along with a status symbol. Examples of the status symbols are below:
Checkmark indicates branch is fully defined / OK Question mark indicates item has incomplete data (need input) Lightning bolt indicates solving is required Exclamation mark means a problem exists X means item is suppressed (will not be solved) Transparent checkmark means body or part is hidden Green lightning bolt indicates item is currently being evaluated Minus sign means that mapped face meshing failed Check mark with a slash indicates a meshed part / body Red lightning bolt indicates a failed solution
Becoming familiar with these basic status symbols lets you debug Mechanical problems quickly.
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Details View
Training Manual
The Details View contains data input and output fields. The contents will change depending on the branch selected.
White field: input data
Data in white text field is editable
Gray (or Red) field: information

Data in gray fields cannot be modified.
Yellow field: incomplete input data

Data in yellow fields indicates missing information.
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Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Graphics Window
Training Manual
The Graphics Window shows the geometry and results. It can also provide worksheet (tabular) listings, the HTML report, and a Print Preview option.
Geometry Tab
Print Preview Tab
Worksheet Tab
Report Preview Tab
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Geometry
Explicit Dynamics supports Solid, Surface and Line bodies. Check that all geometric bodies have been imported
Line bodies are not imported by default. If line bodies are not shown in the tree, select Tools > Options > Geometry Import in the Workbench project window and check the Line Bodies box
Training Manual
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Geometry
Geometry
Solid, Surface and Line bodies
Check that the imported material assignment for each body is correct By default a linear Structural Steel is assigned. Use RMB to assign a different material
Training Manual
Surface bodies
Specify the Thickness
(the Thickness mode and Offset type fields for surface bodies are not supported for Explicit Dynamics systems)
Line bodies
Only symmetric cross-sections are
supported
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Stiffness Behavior
Stiffness Behavior
Flexible
Can be assigned to any body type.
Training Manual
Rigid
Can only be assigned to Solid and Surface bodies. Only the density of the rigid body is used.
Mass and inertia is derived from the density of all elements.
Rigid bodies must be discretized with a Full Mesh.

This is the default for the explicit meshing physics preference.
Kinematic rigid body motion depends on the resultant forces and moments applied through interaction with other parts of the model. Constraints can only be applied to an entire rigid body.
e.g. a fixed displacement cannot be applied to one edge of a rigid body, it must be applied to the whole body.
Bonded connections can be applied to connect flexible and rigid bodies

They cannot be combined in Multi-body Parts.
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Coordinate Systems
Co-ordinate Systems
Local Cartesian co-ordinate systems can be assigned to bodies.
Used to define the material directions when using the Orthotropic Elasticity property in a material definition. Can also used to perform mesh refinements Material directions 1, 2, 3 are aligned with the local x, y and z axes of the local co-ordinate system.
Training Manual
Cylindrical co-ordinate systems are not supported for Explicit Dynamics systems.
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Body Interactions (Connections)

The Body Interactions folder, under Connections, is used to define global connection options for Explicit Dynamics
Two options for Contact Detection
Trajectory (default) Proximity Based
Training Manual
Four options for the Type of Body Interaction

Bonded (joined) Frictionless (sliding contact) Frictional (sliding contact) Reinforcement (for embedded beams)
A default Frictionless interaction, using Trajectory Contact detection, is scoped to all bodies.
Activates frictionless contact between any external node and face in the entire model that may come into contact during the simulation.
Safe, but may be relatively inefficient
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Mesh
To generate the best meshes for Explicit Dynamics:
Select Explicit for the Physical preference
Sets the preferred defaults to generate a mesh for an explicit analysis
Training Manual
Open Meshing Options panel and select Automatic (Patch Conforming/Sweeping) for the default Mesh method
Ensures that hex elements are generated automatically when a body can be swept But not the best method if a tetrahedron mesh is generated
Override the default using the Patch Independent tetrahedron method
These selections are default for Explicit Dynamics (ANSYS)

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Physics Preference
Training Manual
How the Physics filter affects a model
Physics Preference Option
Sets the following automatically ... Solid Element Midside Nodes Default Kept Dropped Kept Dropped Midside Nodes Curved Curved Straight Curved
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Relevance Center Default Coarse Fine Medium Medium
smoothing
transition
Mechanical CFD Electromagnetic Explicit

low medium medium high
fast slow fast slow

Relevance and Relevance Center

Relevance is a single setting that may be adjusted to provide a coarser or finer mesh
The slider bar toggles the Relevance setting between 100 (coarsest) and +100 (finest) The mesh size level corresponding to the center position of the Relevance slider bar can be set to Coarse, Medium, or Fine using the Relevance Center setting Different Physics settings have different defaults for the Relevance Center setting (Explicit: Medium)
Training Manual
Relevance: 0 Relevance Center: Coarse
Relevance: 0 Relevance Center: Medium
Relevance: 0 Relevance Center: Fine
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Relevance and Relevance Center

Relevance: -100 Relevance Center: Medium
Training Manual
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Smoothing
Training Manual
Low
High
Explicit Default
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Transition
Training Manual
Fast
Slow
Explicit Default
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Default Mesh method for Explicit Dynamics
Training Manual
Automatic (Patch Conforming/Sweeping)

Sweepable bodies are automatically meshed with Hex and Wedge Elements
Produces better mesh if a size control is used on the swept face or body
Swept Face
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Training Manual
Automatic (Patch Conforming/Sweeping)

Non-sweepable bodies are automatically meshed using the Patch Conforming tetrahedron mesher
All Faces, Edges, Vertices of the geometry are respected during mesh generation (Delaunay Method) Not recommended for Explicit Dynamics
Curves in Geometry are Reflected in the Mesh

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Training Manual
Patch Independent tetrahedron mesher

Recommended for Explicit Dynamics Faces, Edges, Vertices are not always respected (Octree Method) Override the default tetrahedron mesher (Patch Conforming)
Max. Element Size = 2.5 mm Max. Element Size = 1.0 mm
Curves in Geometry NOT reflected in the Mesh

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Explicit Dynamics
Once all the bodies used in a simulation have been meshed and their modes of interaction defined, setup is completed in the Explicit Dynamics folder by defining:
Initial Conditions Loads and Constraints Analysis Settings Solution Information
Training Manual
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Initial Conditions
By default, all bodies in an Explicit Dynamics system are at rest, unconstrained and stress free. At least one Initial Condition, Constraint or Load must be applied to the model.
otherwise the initial solution is the final solution and there is need to Solve.
Training Manual
Two forms of velocity are available as Initial Conditions for Explicit Dynamics:
Velocity (Translational) Angular Velocity (Rotational)
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Initial Conditions
Applied to single or multiple bodies in global or local Cartesian co-ordinate systems.
If rotational and translational velocities are applied to the same body, the initial velocity of the body will be calculated as the sum of these two conditions
Training Manual
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Loads and Constraints

Loads and constraints that can be applied for Explicit Dynamics analyses:
Acceleration Standard Earth Gravity Pressure Force Line Pressure Fixed Support Displacement Velocity Impedance Boundary
Training Manual
1-27

Acceleration
A constant body acceleration can be applied to all bodies in the model. This results in a body acceleration vector, defined via three Cartesian components being applied to all nodes in the model prior to any constraints
Training Manual
i x
Fi bi m
Any constraints applied to the model will over-ride an applied body acceleration
Standard Earth Gravity

Special case of an Acceleration load which is applied to all bodies. Magnitude of acceleration is fixed at standard earth gravitational acceleration Acting direction can be applied in x, y, z directions.
Any constraints applied to the model will over-ride any applied gravity
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Pressure
Constant and tabular Pressure loads can only be applied to faces of flexible bodies.
Pressure is applied normal to element faces of scoped bodies. Direction of applied pressure rotates with deformation of faces.
Training Manual
Force
Constant and tabular Force loads can be applied to flexible and rigid bodies.
Flexible bodies
Force loads can be scoped to points, lines and faces.
Rigid bodies
Force loads can only be scoped to bodies.
User defines total force load applied to mesh nodes of scoped bodies. Force applied to each node is equal to total force divided by number of mesh nodes in the scoping.
Resulting distribution of force is mesh dependent.
When defining tabular forces, define the analysis end time first. Force can be applied in global or local Cartesian coordinate systems.
Line Pressure
Constant and tabular Line Pressure loads can be applied to edges of flexible bodies.
Applied in a specified direction. Does not rotate with the deformation of the model.
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Fixed Support
A Fixed Support can be scoped to flexible and rigid bodies to constrain all degrees of freedom.
Flexible bodies:
Fixed supports can be scoped to points, lines and faces.
Training Manual
Rigid bodies:
Fixed supports can only be scoped to bodies.
Displacement
Constant and tabular Displacement constraints can be applied to flexible and rigid bodies.
Flexible bodies:
Displacements can be scoped to points, lines and faces.
Rigid bodies:
Displacements can only be scoped to bodies.
Displacements are ramped linearly over analysis time.

For tabular displacements, the initial value at time zero should be zero.
For rigid bodies, the rotational degrees of freedom will automatically be constrained if a displacement object is scoped to the body. Displacements can be applied in global or local Cartesian co-ordinate systems.
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Velocity
Constant and tabular Velocity constraints can be applied to flexible and rigid bodies.
Flexible bodies:
Velocity constraints can be scoped to points, lines and faces.
Training Manual
Rigid bodies:
Velocity constraints can only be scoped to bodies.
For rigid bodies, the rotational degrees of freedom will be automatically constrained if a displacement object is scoped to the body. When defining tabular velocities, define the analysis end time first. Velocities can be applied in global or local Cartesian co-ordinate systems.
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Impedance Boundary
Sometimes advantageous (more efficient) to limit the mesh size by applying a boundary condition which allows outward traveling waves to pass out of the mesh without reflection.
e.g. an expanding air blast or an underwater or underground explosion.
Training Manual
Impedance Boundary provides a reasonable approximation.
where
uN is the normal velocity [c]boundary is the Material Impedance pref is the Reference Pressure uref is the Reference Velocity
(for an initially stationary structure at zero pressure, pref and uref are zero).
Deals only with the normal component of wave velocity.

Velocity component parallel to the boundary is ignored. Place boundaries well away from regions of interest
If the Impedance is Program Controlled (default, recommended), it is taken to be the transient impedances of the elements to which the boundary is applied.
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Analysis Settings
Analysis Settings are grouped in six categories
Step Controls Solver Controls Damping Controls Erosion Controls Output Controls Analysis Data Management
Training Manual
End Time is the only required input

All other options have defaults, e.g.
Time step is program controlled Results saved 20 times Restart files saved 5 times Time history data saved every cycle
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Explicit Dynamic Project Files

Project files created while solving a model
File type
Results file (binary)
Training Manual
Description
Contains results data used for the main post-processing operations in Explicit Dynamics. name_{base_cycle_no}_{results_cycle_no}.adres e.g. admodel_0_100.adres is the result file for cycle 100, referencing a base file for cycle 0. Contains base data that results files use. name_{base_cycle_no}_.adbase e.g. admodel_0.adbase is the result base file for cycle 0. Contains complete model database. A solve can be resumed from any restart file. name_{save_cycle_no}.ad e.g. admodel_500.ad is the save file for cycle 500. Contains a brief summary of the initial model definition and a summary of the energy and momentum distribution in the model over time. name.prt e.g. admodel.prt is the print file for the model Contains cycle increment data and error / warning messages name.log e.g. admodel.log is the log file
Results base file (binary)
Restart file (binary)
Print file (ASCII)
Log file (ASCII)
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Solution
Solver Mechanisms
My Computer, In Process (default)
Solution is automatically monitored in Workbench as it executes
Training Manual
My Computer, Background
Solution is obtained on the local machine in the background. Most current results can be retrieved while Solve is in process
Remote Processing
Calculation is executed on remote (networked) machines Set up through Tools > Solve Process Settings
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Solution Information
My Computer, In Process provides five Solution Output options to view automatically while the calculation is running:
Solver Output (default)
Shows the progress of the simulation.
Cycle summaries Warning or error messages Estimated clock time to remaining
A best guess based on time currently taken to solve a cycle and current time increment and the simulation time remaining. May be significantly over-predicted in early cycles.
Training Manual
Defaults
Time Increment
Shows how the time step varies with time.
Fluctuations should be expected, but a reduction greater than a factor of 10 often indicates a problem in the model setup / progress.
Energy Conservation
Shows how the energy is being conserved over time
Momentum Summary
Shows how the momentum of the system varies with time
Energy Summary
Shows how the energy components of the system vary with time
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Solver Output (default)
Shows the progress of the simulation.
Training Manual
Estimated clock time remaining is a best guess based on

the time currently taken to solve a cycle the current time step the remaining simulation time.
It may be significantly over-predict in early cycles.
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Time Increment
Show how the time step varies with time.
Training Manual
Fluctuations in time step size should be expected. However, a reduction in time step greater than a factor of 10, often indicates a problem in the model setup / progress.
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Energy Conservation
Shows how the total energy of the system is conserved over time
Training Manual
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Momentum Summary
Shows how the momentum of the system varies with time
Training Manual
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Energy Summary
Shows how the energy components of the system vary with time
Training Manual
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Adding additional solution outputs
RMB Solution > Insert allows customized results to be specified
Training Manual
More details in Chapter 5: Results Processing

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Chapter 4

Explicit Dynamics Basics

ANSYS Explicit Dynamics

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Menus

File > Clean to delete mesh and / or results from database.

Help > Mechanical Help to access documentation.

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Toolbars

Tooltips appear if the cursor is placed over a toolbar button.

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Toolbars

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Outline Tree

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Outline Tree

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Details View

Gray (or Red) field: information

Yellow field: incomplete input data

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Explicit Dynamics (Mechanical) GUI : Graphics Window

Print Preview Tab

Report Preview Tab

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Rigid bodies must be discretized with a Full Mesh.

Bonded connections can be applied to connect flexible and rigid bodies

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

Explicit Dynamics Basics

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

Body Interactions (Connections)

Four options for the Type of Body Interaction

ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary 2009 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved.

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

These selections are default for Explicit Dynamics (ANSYS)

February 27, 2009 Inventory #002665

Explicit Dynamics Basics

How the Physics filter affects a model

Physics Preference Option

Relevance Center Default Coarse Fine Medium Medium