ANSYS TUTORIAL

Analysis of a Simple Cantilevered Beam with End Load

Copyright 2001-2002, John R. Baker
In this tutorial, you will model and analyze the eam elow in !"#$#. #tep-y-step
instru%tions are pro&ided eginning on the 'ollowing page.
I' you run into prolems with these instru%tions, 'eel 'ree to %onta%t(
John Baker) *hone( 2+0-,-.-/-.2) 0mail( 1aker2engr.uky.edu
3he steps that will e 'ollowed are(
repro!essin"#
1. Change Joname.
2. 4e'ine element type. 56B0!7-8, whi%h is a 2-4 eam element9
-. 4e'ine real %onstants. 5!rea, 7oment o' Inertia, :eight,#:0!R;9
.. 4e'ine material properties. 5$oung<s 7odulus, 0= -- only property re>uired 'or this analysis9
,. Create nodes. 521 total9
/. Create eam elements etween nodes. 520 total9
Sol$tion#
+. !pply %onstraints and loads to the model.
?. #ol&e.
ostpro!essin"#
@. *lot de'ormed shape.
10. Aist rea%tions.
11. Aist the de'le%tions at ea%h node.
12. 4e'ine element tale items 'or plotting and listing o' &arious stress %omponents.
1-. Aist element tale items.
1.. *lot element tale items.
1,. 0Bit the !"#$# program.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
"ote( Beam 7aterial 7odulus o' 0lasti%ity D -00/ psi
Note# 3he instru%tions elow in%lude alternati&e %ommand line entries that %an e ignored i' you
%hoose to use menu pi%ks to per'orm the re>uired tasks. 3hese are pro&ided 'or your
in'ormation. $ou may 'ind that it is sometimes more %on&enient to enter %ertain %ommands
dire%tly at the %ommand line.
%%%AS YOU &OR' T(ROU)( T(IS TUTORIAL* &IT(IN ANSYS* ON T(E ANSYS
TOOLBAR +UER RI)(T, CLIC' ON -SA.E/0B1 O2TEN333
repro!essin"#
1. Change 1oname(
File -> Change Jobname
0nter 6eam8, and %li%k on 6EF8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 5filnam* 6eam
Also* to enter the prepro!essor* at the !ommand line* enter# 5prep7
2. 4e'ine element types(
Preprocessor -> Element Type -> Add/Edit/Delete
Cli%k on 6!dd..8, highlight 6Beam8, then 624 elasti% -8, %li%k on 6EF8, then 6Close8.
"ote that, in !"#$#, this element is sometimes re'erred to as 6B0!7-8, e%ause it is
element type - in the !"#$# element lirary.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 et*8*9
-. 4e'ine the real %onstants 'or the B0!7- elements(
Preprocessor -> Real Constants -> Add

Cli%k 6EF8 'or 63ype 1 B0!7-8
3he appropriate &alues 'or the gi&en geometry are( !R0!D?) I;;D5-2G129) :0IH:3D2)
#:0!R;D5/G,9. Aea&e the other 'ields lank, and %li%k 6EF8, then %lose the 6Real
Constants8 oB.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 r*8*:*+9;58;,*;*+<5=,
"ote that the 618 'ollowing 6r,8 denotes that this is real %onstant set numer 1. !lso, the
6#:0!R;8 term, entered as 5/G,9, allows shear de'ormation e''e%ts to e in%luded in the
solution. 3he &alue used is appropriate 'or a re%tangular %ross-se%tion. ! di''erent &alue
would e re>uired, 'or instan%e, 'or a %ir%ular %ross-se%tion. 3his term %an e le't lank i'
shear de'ormation e''e%ts are assumed to e negligile.
.. 4e'ine 7aterial *roperties(
Preprocessor -> Material Properties -> -Constant- sotropic
6EF8 'or material set numer 1, then, enter -00/ 'or 0=, then 6EF8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 e>*8*9?E<
,. Create nodes(
Preprocessor -> -7odeling- Create -> !odes -> n Acti"e C#
0nter 1 'or node numer 5!"#$# would automati%ally numer nodes i' you lea&e this
lank9. 0nter the lo%ation as 5B,y,z9D50,0,09. Aea&e the entries 'or rotation angles lank.
5"ote( Ior this prolem, all nodes will e on the B-aBis, with yD0 and zD09. Cli%k on
6!pply8. 4e'ine node 21 at 5B,y,z9D520,0,09, then %li%k on 6EF8 instead o' 6!pply8.
!utomati%ally 'ill in the other nodes(
Preprocessor -> -7odeling- Create -> !odes -> Fill bet$een !ds%
! pi%king menu will open. Cli%k on node 1 at the origin, then %li%k on node 21 at BD20,
then %li%k on 6EF8 in the pi%king menu. !%%ept the de'aults on the dialogue oB that
opens. 3he de'aults are to 'ill in etween nodes 1 and 21 a total o' 1@ nodes. Cli%k 6EF8
on that dialogue oB, and the e>ually-spa%ed nodes will e generated.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 n*8*?*?*? 5or, simply( n,1J missing input is
interpreted y !"#$# as 6zero8 in most %ases9.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 n*;8*;?*?*?
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 fill*8*;8*8@
!s a %he%k to ensure all nodes were entered %orre%tly, list the nodes(

&tility Men' ->(ist -> !odes )*+,
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 nlist
3urn on node numering(
&tility Men' -> PlotCtrls -> !'mbering.
Che%k 6node numering8, then %li%k 6EF8. 3he node numers may already e showing,
ut this will 'or%e the display o' node numers on suse>uent plots. !t any time, o'
%ourse, to turn o'' node numering, the user %an return to the same lo%ation, and turn o''
node numering.
Alternativ
e Command Line Entry 4 5pn$m*node*8
/. Create eam elements etween nodes. Ene way to do this is the general method shown neBt.
3his will e 'ollowed y a simpler method.
Preprocessor -> Create -> Elements ->-!uto "umered-Thr' !odes
! pi%king menu appears. *i%k node 1, then node 2, and %li%k on 6!**A$8 in the *i%king
7enu. 3hen, %li%k on node 2, then node -, and %li%k on !**A$. Continue until all 20 elements
are %reated. **IMPORTANT: On the twentieth element, click on OK, instead of APPL!
If "o# click on APPL, then on OK, "o# will $ene%ate two &eam elements &etween nodes
'( and ')!
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 e*8*;
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 e*;*9 5and so on until all 20 elements are de'ined9.
! simpler method to do this, with 1ust two %ommand line entries, is shown elow(
e*8*;
%repeat*;?*8*8
3he 6Krepeat8 %ommand is not a&ailale through menu pi%ks. 3his %ommand, as entered
ao&e, repeats the pre&ious %ommand a total o' 20 times 5in%luding the initial time is was input9.
It in%rements the &alues in the two input 'ields ea%h y 1 ea%h time the %ommand is repeated.
Sol$tion#
If enterin" !ommands at the !ommand line* to enter the sol$tion pro!essor* type# 5sol$
+. !pply %onstraints and 'or%es on the model(
3o apply %onstraints(
#ol'tion -> -Aoads- Apply -> -#tru%tural- Displacement -> *n !odes
*i%k node 1, then %li%k 6EF8 in the pi%king menu that has appeared. Choose !AA 4EI,
and use the de'ault &alue o' zero. Cli%k on 6EF8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 d*8*all*?
3o apply the 'or%e, %hoose(

#ol'tion -> -Aoads- Apply -> -#tru%tural- Force/Moment -> *n !odes
*i%k node 21, then 6EF8 in the pi%king menu, %hoose 6I$8 as the dire%tion o' the 'or%e,
and enter 6108 'or the 'or%e &alue. Cli%k on 6EF8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 f*;8*fy*8?
?. #ol&e the prolem(
#ol'tion -> -#ol&e- C'rrent (#
Cli%k 6EF8 in the 6#ol&e Current Aoad #tep8 BoB.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 solve
ostpro!essin"#
If enterin" !ommands at the !ommand line* to enter the postpro!essor* type# 5post8
@. *lot the de'ormed shape(
-eneral Postproc -> Plot Res'lts -> De.ormed #hape
$ou will proaly want to %hoose 64e' L unde'ormed8, then 6EF8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 pldi*8
10. Aist rea%tion 'or%es(
-eneral Postproc -> (ist Res'lts -> Reaction #ol'tion
Mse the de'ault( 6!ll items8) and %li%k on 6EF8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 prrf
11. Aist nodal displa%ements(

-eneral Postproc -> (ist Res'lts -> !odal #ol'tion -> D*F #ol'tion -> A(( D*Fs
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 prdi
12. 4e'ine element tale items 'or suse>uent plotting and listing o' &arious stress results. Ior
line elements, su%h as eam elements, to generate %ertain stress results, you must de'ine an
element tale, using the 03!BA0 %ommand. "ote that ea%h element is de'ined y two end
nodes, denoted y node i and node 1. "ode i is the 'irst o' the two nodes de'ined when the
element was %reated. 3he 'orm o' the %ommand to de'ine a tale %ontaining the ending stresses
at the 6top8 o' the eam, at node i, 'or ea%h element, is(
ETABLE*BSTRTOI*LS*;
3his %ommand %an e entered dire%tly at the !"#$# input line. 3he entries in this %ommand
pertain spe%i'i%ally to the B0!7- element. I', instead o' 2-4 B0!7- elements, the --4
B0!7. elements were used, the user would ha&e to look at the on-line help in'ormation 'or
B0!7. to determine the appropriate entries 'or the 03!BA0 %ommand.
In the %ommand ao&e, 6B#3R3E*I8 is simply a lael %hosen y the user. *ra%ti%ally any other
teBt string %ould e used in this 'ield. :owe&er, it must not ha&e more than eight %hara%ters, and
it %annot e identi%al to any general !"#$# prede'ined lael. 6A#8 is the appropriate item 'or
ending stress in B0!7- elements 5as shown in the on-line help 'or B0!7-9. !lso, the 628
shown as the last entry is %orre%t se>uen%e numer on the 03!BA0 %ommand, assuming
B0!7- elements are used, and the user wants to store the ending stresses at the top o' the
eam elements, at node i 'or ea%h element.
I' the user also wants to de'ine an element tale in whi%h the ending stress at the top o' ea%h
eam element, at node 1 'or ea%h element is stored, the %ommand that %ould e used is similar to
that ao&e. :owe&er, the user should %hoose a di''erent identi'ying lael, and the &alue o' the
last entry 'or this %ase is 6,8. Ior instan%e,
ETABLE*BSTRTOA*LS*=
3he !"#$# on-line help should e %onsulted 'or 'urther eBplanation, and also to &iew the
a&ailale stress %omponents and the appropriate 03!BA0 %ommand entries 'or storing them.
Ior help on B0!7- elements, %li%k on 6:0A*8 on the 3op Mtility 7enu, then %hoose 6:0A*
E"8, enter the numer 6-8, and %li%k on 6EF8. Ior help on the 03!BA0 %ommand, %li%k on
6:0A*8 on the 3op Mtility 7enu, then %hoose 6:0A* E"8, enter 603!BA08, and %li%k on
6EF8.
!s additional eBamples, to store the ending stress at the ottom o' the eam elements, at node i
'or ea%h element, the %ommand is,
ETABLE*BSTRBOTI*LS*9
and to store the ending stress at the ottom o' the eam elements, at node 1 'or ea%h element, the
%ommand is,
ETABLE*BSTRBOTA*LS*<
1-. Aist element tale results. !ssuming all 'our o' the ao&e 03!BA0 %ommands were entered,
then a listing o' ea%h stored stress %omponent %an e otained with the menu path(
-eneral Postproc -> (ist Res'lts -> Elem Table Data
3hen, highlight the desired laels, and %li%k on 6EF8. 3he stresses %orresponding to the %hosen
laels will e listed y element numer.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 preta6*BSTRTOI*BSTRTOA
E' %ourse 6B#3R3E*I8 and 6B#3R3E*J8 are the user-de'ined laels dis%ussed in #tep 12, 3he
user %an enter any pre&iously de'ined laels, up to a total o' nine laels, on the 6preta8
%ommand.
1.. *lot element stresses. 3here are a %ouple o' 'orms in whi%h the plots %an e otained. Ene
is through use o' the 6*AA#8 %ommand, and the other is through use o' the 6*A03!B8
%ommand. 3he appearan%es o' the plots will not e des%ried here, ut the user %an eBperiment
using the 'ollowing approa%h. 3his dis%ussion assumes the user has de'ined the same element
tales, and used the same laels, as o&er&iewed in #tep 12.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
----#tress plots using the 6plls8 option-----
-eneral Postproc -> Plot Res'lts -> (ine Elem Res
In the dialogue oB that opens, the user %ould sele%t the lael 6B#3R3E*I8 'or the A!BI entry,
and the lael 6B#3R3E*J8 'or the A!BJ entry. 3he optional s%ale 'a%tor %an e le't as 618 i'
desired, and the user %an %hoose whether or not to in%lude on the plot either 64e'ormed #hape
Enly8, 64e'ormed L Mnde'ormed8, or 64e'ormed L Mnderormed 0dge8.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 plls*BSTRTOI*BSTRTOA
E' %ourse, the other %omponent laels %ould e %hosen instead, i' desired.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
-----#tress plots using the 6pleta8 option-----
-eneral Postproc -> Plot Res'lts -> Elem Table
In the dialogue oB that opens, the user %ould sele%t the lael 6B#3R3E*I8, or o' %ourse, any o'
the other pre&iously de'ined lales %ould e %hosen. !lso, the user has the option o' a&eraging
nodal &alues 5see on-line help 'or a dis%ussion o' the a&eraging9.
Alternative Command Line Entry 4 pleta6*BSTRTOI
Nhere, again, the other %omponents %ould e %hosen instead, i' desired.
1,. 0Bit !"#$#. 3oolar( /'it ->#a"e E"erything -> *+