Practical Application of Finite Element

VII. Simplified ANSYS model

ANSYS 10 or 11 ED (Education version or Academic version) will be used for modelling the
structure. A disadvantage of this software is the limitation of nodes (10000 nodes) and the
amount of elements (1000 elements). Therefore, the reinforced concrete is restricted to model
in the range of element given. The results may be acceptable in this situation.

Figure 5
VII.1. Element types
Preprocessor -> Element type -> Add/Edit/Delete -> Add
Choose Concrete 65 (SOLID65)

Figure 6
Similarly to choose: BEAM -> PLASTIC 23 (BEAM23)
In the OPTION of BEAM23, choose ROUND SOLID BAR at Cross-section K6
VII.2. Real Constants
Preprocessor -> Real Constants -> Add/Edit/Delete -> Add
- Choosing SOLID65 as SET 1 and no input data at here because the rebar will be modelled as
BEAM23. In addition, SOLID65 element only supports 3 rebars however there are 4 rebars in
this problems.
- Similarly to choose BEAM23 as SET 2: OUTER DIAMETER OD: 0.012
VII.3. Material properties

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Practical Application of Finite Element

There are 2 material properties needing to be input. One is concrete, one is rebar.
Preprocessor -> Material Props -> Material Models

Figure 7
+ Concrete (Material Model Number 1):
-

Structural -> Linear -> Elastics -> Isotropic:

o

EX (Youngs modulus): 3E10

PRXY (Poissons ratio): 0.2

Structural -> Nonlinear -> Inelastic -> Rate Independent -> Isotropic Hardening Plasticity ->
Mises Plasticity -> Multilinear

In this situation, the ratio between stress and strain must be equal to Youngs module at the
first data, and then this ratio is decreased to the last data when the compressive strength
increases. As the figure below shown, the cross-area is safe-area, where the reinforced
concrete does not crack or crush.

Figure 8
A: Safe area, B: Starting cracking, C: Totally collapsed
Strain
0.0005
0.0010
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Stress
1.5E7
2.1E7
2

Practical Application of Finite Element

0.0015
0.0020
0.0025
0.0030
-

2.4E7
2.7E7
3.0E7
2.4E7

Structural -> Nonlinear -> Inelastic -> Non-linear Metal Plasticity -> Concrete
o

Shear transfer coefficients for an open crack (ShrCf-Op): 0.5

Shear transfer coefficients for a closed crack (ShrCf-Cl): 0.9

Uniaxial tensile cracking stress (UnTensSf): 3E6

Uniaxial crushing stress (positive) (UnComSt): 3E7

+ Rebar (Material Properties 2):

-

Structural -> Linear -> Elastics -> Isotropic:

o

EX (Youngs modulus): 2E11

PRXY (Poissons ratio): 0.3

Structural -> Nonlinear -> Inelastic -> Rate Independent -> Isotropic Hardening Plasticity ->
Mises Plasticity -> Bilinear
o

Yield Stress: 460 N/mm2

Tang mod: 0

Figure 9
VII.4. Modelling
The beam given is symmetrical geography and concentrated load, therefore, one half of the
beam will be taken for simplification of computer model.
L = 5.5/2 = 2.75mm
D = 0.4m
B = 0.25m

There are 4 rebars, the cover is 0.05m

Therefore, the model will have 780 nodes (6 nodes in Z direction, 5 nodes in Y direction, 26
nodes in X direction and have 4x5x25 = 500 elements < 1000 elements.
Modelling structural form with first-six-nodes in Z direction, after that using COPY function to
finish the model.
Preprocessor -> Modelling -> Create -> Nodes -> In Active CS
Node
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Z
3

Practical Application of Finite Element

1

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.05

0.00

0.00

0.10

0.00

0.00

0.15

0.00

0.00

0.20

0.00

0.00

0.25

- These nodes need to copy to become the structural model.

Co-ordinate

Distance from NODE I to NODE J

Axis X

0.11

Axis Y

0.1

Axis Z

0.05

+ Generating node in Y direction

Modelling -> Create -> Copy -> Nodes -> Copy
- ITEM NUMBER OF COPIES: 5
- DX (X-offset in active CS): 0
- DY (X-offset in active CS): 0.1
- DZ (X-offset in active CS): 0
+ Generating node in X direction
- ITEM NUMBER OF COPIES: 26
- DX (X-offset in active CS): 0.11
- DY (X-offset in active CS): 0
- DZ (X-offset in active CS): 0
VII.5. Creating element
SOLID65 will be created with all nodes. The node list should be opened to simply create each
element.
Element Attributes of SOLID65:
-

Element type of number : SOLID65

Material Number: 1

Real Constant set number: 1

Creating SOLID65 element, Command-line should be input E,1,31,32,2,7,37,38,8 because of a

simple creation in three-dimension (3D). Similar way to the other SOLID65 element.

Element

Input Command-line

Concrete block 1

E,1,31,32,2,7,37,38,8

Concrete block 2

E,2,32,33,3,8,38,39,9

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Practical Application of Finite Element

Concrete block 3

E,3,33,34,4,9,39,40,10

Concrete block 4

E,4,34,35,5,10,40,41,11

Concrete block 5

E,5,35,36,6,11,41,42,12

Element Attributes of BEAM23:

-

Element type of number : BEAM23

Material Number: 2

Real Constant set number: 2

Element

Node I

Node J

Comment on creating

Rebar 1

38

To simply create element in 3D, at command-line: e,8,38 for

Rebar 2

39

Rebar 1.

Rebar 3

10

40

Similarly to creating node, the rebar 1 should be copy to the

Rebar 4

11

41

end of the beam: ITEM NUMBER OF COPIES: 25, and NODE

NUMBER INCREMENT: 30

1
ELEMENTS
FEB 12 2010
11:21:44

Reinforcement

Figure 10 Rebar created in concrete

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Practical Application of Finite Element

ELEMENTS
FEB 12 2010
12:12:54

Y
Z

Reinforcement

Figure 11 Structural Model finished

VII.6. Applying boundary condition

-

Solution Type
o

Solution -> Analysis Type -> New Analysis -> Choose Structural

Solution -> Soln Controls

Frequency: Write every substep (Investigation cracks start to take shape in

the reinforced concrete)

Number of substeps: 20

Max no. of substeps: 1000000

Min no. of substeps: 20

Define loads:
o

Solution -> Define Loads -> Apply -> Structural -> Displacement -> On Node
UX is applied for nodes from 751 to 780 at the end of the structural model.
UY and UZ is applied for nodes 1,2,3,4,5, 6.

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Practical Application of Finite Element

TS
FEB 12 2010
16:51:33

Y
Z

Support of the beam

Figure 12
o

Solution -> Define Loads -> Apply -> Pressure -> On Elements (External load
applieds for investigating cracks and crush of concrete at L/3 = 1.8666)
The 500000N applies at sixteenth element on top of the reinforced concrete.

VII.7. Results
To view the region of crack and crush:
- General PostProc -> Read Results -> By Pick,
- General PostProc -> Plot Results -> Concrete Plot -> Crack/Crush
o Plot symbols are located at:
Integration pts
o Plot crack faces for:
any cracks
Time history:

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Practical Application of Finite Element

Figure 13 Time history

Investigation of a cracked line is at 0.9 of time-line:
CRACKS AND CRUSHING
FEB 12 2010
15:56:05

STEP=1
SUB =18
TIME=.9

Y
Z

Figure 14 No Crack and Crush

However, crack and crush start occurring in concrete block at the last step:

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Practical Application of Finite Element

1
CRACKS AND CRUSHING
FEB 12 2010
16:06:37

STEP=1
SUB =999999
TIME=1

Y
Z

Figure 15 Crack and crush with Element Centroids

1
CRACKS AND CRUSHING
FEB 12 2010
16:11:52

STEP=1
SUB =999999
TIME=1

Figure 16 View at the region of crack

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Practical Application of Finite Element

1
CRACKS AND CRUSHING
FEB 12 2010
22:18:49

STEP=1
SUB =999999
TIME=1

Y
Z

Figure 17 Crack and Crush with Integration pts

Reinforced concrete has more cracked line when the analysis of plastic criteria with 170kN
1
CRACKS AND CRUSHING
FEB 12 2010
15:09:47

STEP=1
SUB =11
TIME=.002737

Region of crack and crush

Y
Z

Figure 17 Analysis of plastic criteria

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