Summary Analysis of a Manhole with Structural

Zooming
# - Title

e013 - Analysis of a Manhole with Structural Zooming

Problem
features

Marc structural zooming capability

Global-Local Analysis

Geometry

Material
properties

Elastic-Plastic Isotropic with Young's modulus = 3107 and

Poisson's Ratio = 0.3

Analysis
type

Structural Static with fixed time stepping

Boundary
conditions

Global-Local boundary conditions

Element
type

Linear 4 nodes shell element type 75

FE results

Comparison of results (Equivalent Von Mises Stress) between

Global Analysis and Local Analysis

Chapter Overview
This chapter demonstrates the Marc structural zooming capability. The chapter starts with a brief description of the
background information. The model for analysis involves one cylinder joined to another cylinder of a larger radius. A local
model with a finer finite element mesh, focusing on the joint of two cylinders and its vicinity, is then generated. Based on the
global results, an analysis of the local model is performed to achieve a refined evaluation of the stress concentration around
the cylinder joint.

Figure 1: Geometry of the Problem

Background Information
The problem demonstrating the structural zooming capability in this chapter is the same as the one described in example
"Manhole" from the User's Guide. Also, refer to this chapter for detailed description on model geometry, materials, boundary
conditions/loads, and mesh generation.
In example "Manhole", the problem is considered linear. The total value of loads are applied at increment 0. In order to
demonstrate the use of structural zooming in a nonlinear analysis, the problem is slightly modified to have the loads applied in
10 equal increments. The large strain nonlinear behavior is modeled using updated Lagrange, additive plasticity method.
Furthermore, shell thickness in the global model has to be written into post file for a structural zooming analysis involving
shell elements in the global model.

Global Analysis
The global model manhole.mud is generated in example "Manhole" from the user guide. The modifications regarding
nonlinear analysis and shell thickness, mentioned in Background Information, are taken into account in manhole.mud
The steps in this section includes:
Open the established model manhole.mud
Run global model
View stress distribution
File Open
manhole.mud
Open
Fill View
Jobs Jobs
Properties
Run
3

Submit(1)
Monitor
Open Post File (Model Plot Results Menu)
Results
Fill View
Model plot
---Deformed Shape--Style Deformed & Original
---Scalar Plot--Style Contour Bands
Monitor Results File
Scalar
Equivalent Von Mises Stress

Figure 2: Distribution of Equivalent Stress, Obtained from Global Analysis

OK

Local Model and Analysis

This section will include the following three steps:
1. Build a local model with a refined mesh
2. Modify boundary conditions and apply Global-Local boundary conditions
3. Save model, run model, and view results
Step 1: Build a local model with a refined mesh
To build a local model with a refined mesh, the elements out of the considered local area must be deleted first.
Geometry & Mesh Basic Manipulation
Geometry & Mesh
4

Figure 3: Geometry & Mesh menu

---Mesh--Elements: Rem
449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463
464 465 466 467 468 201 202 203 204 205 221 222 223 224 225
241 242 243 244 245 261 262 263 264 265 281 282 283 284 285
301 302 303 304 305 321 322 323 324 325 341 342 343 344 345
346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360
366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380
386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 361 362 363 364 365
381 382 383 384 385 469 470 471 472 396 397 398 399 400 220
240 260 280 300 320 340 #
OK

Close Geometry & Mesh menu

Figure 4:Delete Elements NOT in Considered Local Area

The mesh is then refined using the Mentat Subdivide option. One element becomes four by default because the subdivision in
each direction is 2. After cleaning up the model by removing unused node and by sweeping all elements and nodes, the local
mesh is established.
Geometry & Mesh Operations
Subdivide

Figure 5: Subdivide menu

Elements
All Existing
OK

Close Subdivide menu

6

Geometry & Mesh Operations

Sweep

Figure 6: Sweep menu

Nodes
OK

Close Sweep menu

Step 2: Modify boundary conditions and apply Global-Local boundary conditions

All boundary conditions existing in the global model are still available for the local model. However, due to the mesh
refinement, new nodes are added. The relevant boundary conditions for these newly added nodes must be specified.
Boundary Conditions apply1
Properties
Nodes: Add

Right Click

Figure 7: Boundary Condition Properties menu

598 601 604 610 613 619 622 628 631 634 637 640 646 649
655 658 664 667 1318 1319 1327 1328 1342 1343 1351 1352
End List
OK

Close Boundary Conditions menu

To establish a link between the global model and the local model, a list of connecting nodes must be defined. The kinematic
boundary conditions of these nodes are automatically calculated by Marc program, based on the results obtained from global
analysis. We refer to the definition of the connecting nodes as the specification of Global-Local boundary conditions.
Boundary Conditions Boundary Conditions
New(General) Global-Local
Name: apply6

Figure 8: Define Global-Local Boundary Conditions

Connect Nodes to Global Model
Post File
manhole_job1.t16
OK
Nodes: Add
598 599 600 671 672 743 744 815 816 941 942 1067 1068
1193 1194 667 668 669 740 1197 1200 1206 1209 1215 1218
1224 1227 1233 1236 1242 1245 1251 1254 1260 1263 741 812
813 938 939 1064 1065 1190 1191 1316 1317 1269 1272 1278
1281 1287 1290 1296 1299 1305 1308 1314 1345 1348 1351
1381 1384 1417 1420 1528 1438 1441 1456 1459 1474 1477
1492 1495 1510 1513 1405 1402 1366 1369 1327 1330 1333
End List
OK

Closing Boundary Conditions

Properties menu

Figure 9: Connecting Nodes with Global-Local Boundary Conditions

Global-Local boundary conditions must be activated under the Jobs Menu.
Jobs Structural job1
Properties
Global-Local

Right Click

10

Figure 10: Job Properties menu

Global-Local Boundary Condition

Figure 11: Global-Local Analysis menu

apply6

11

Figure 12: Select Global-Local menu

OK
OK
OK

Close Select Global-Local menu

Close Global-Local Analysis menu
Close Boundary Conditions menu

Step 3: Save model, run model, and view results

The local model has been fully established so far. To avoid over-writing the global model and the global results, the local
model must be saved with a different file name. Use the following button to save model, run local analysis, and to view
results.
File Save As...
manhole_shell.mud
Save
Jobs Jobs
Properties
Run
Submit(1)
Monitor
Open Post File (Model Plot Results Menu)
Results
Fill View
Model plot

12

Figure 13: Model Plot Results menu

---Deformed Shape--Style Deformed & Original
---Scalar Plot--Style Contour Bands
Scalar
Equivalent Von Mises Stress

13

Figure 14: Distribution of Equivalent Stress, Obtained from Local Analysis

OK

Conclusion
The maximum equivalent stress obtained from the local analysis is 4.48e4, which is about 10% higher than the stress from
global analysis. In comparison of Figure 2 and Figure 14, a sharper stress concentration is observed in the local analysis,
representing a better evaluation of stress gradient.
Using the structural-zooming technique, it is also possible to model the local intersection of the cylinders with brick elements
that use the global results from a global shell model.

Input Files
The table below lists the files that are needed to run this example. If the Marc Documentation has been installed, the example
can be run by clicking on the button in the third column of the table. The files will then be copied to the current directory
and will be loaded in the
ToolsProcedures...
menu from which it can be executed.
File

Description

manhole_shell.proc

Mentat procedure file to run the above example

manhole.mud

Associated model file

Run

14