Exercise 8 - Femap Example 11 - Analyzing A Beam Model

11.
Analyzing a Beam Model
In this example, you’ll use rod and L beam elements to represent a truss structure.
You will work through the entire FEMAP analysis process, which includes:
• importing the geometry of the truss
• defining the material and property
• meshing the model using beams and rods
• applying constraints and loads
• analyzing the model using NX Nastran
• post-processing the results
Importing the Geometry

What
Open a new model file and import the geometry of the truss. These curves will be meshed with rod and beam elements.
How
Step UI Command/Display
1. File, Import, FEMAP Neutral

Menu
2. Read Model from FEMAP Neutral dialog box:
Go to the Examples directory in your FEMAP installation.
Truss.NEU
Open
OK
11-2 Analyzing a Beam Model
Y
X
Z
Defining the Material and Property

The first step for the meshing process will be to define the material and property for the beam and rod elements.
Defining the Material

What
Define the material by selecting a standard material from the FEMAP material library.
How
1. Model, Material
Menu
Tip: You can also create a new Material using the New command on the “context sensitive
menu” located on the Materials branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the
top level of the Materials branch or any existing Material, then right mouse click to see the
context sensitive menu).
2. Define Material - ISOTROPIC dialog box:
Load
3. Select from Library dialog box:
AISI 4340 Steel
OK
OK, then...
Cancel
Defining the Beam Property

FEMAP has a library of general cross sections for you to choose from, but you may not always want to use them. You can
define an arbitrary cross section by creating a surface in FEMAP, or by importing external geometry. FEMAP will then cal-
culate the section properties from that surface.
Defining the Beam Property 11-3
The neutral file that you imported has a boundary surface on a different layer that is not currently shown. You will now dis-
play it.
What
First, hide the default layer. Next, display the boundary surface on a hidden layer.
How
1. Click View Visibility icon (on View Toolbar)
OR
Press Crtl+Q.
Visibility dialog box:
Choose the Layer tab.

2. CHECK “2..Beam Section”
UNCHECK “1..Default Layer”

3. Click Done
4. Ctrl - A Autoscale
Notice: The boundary section and curves are displayed.
Y
X
Z
What
Define a property for the beam elements. You’ll first create a general beam cross section, then define a vector to define the
section’s Y axis. Next, you’ll define the beam property with the cross section and the AISI 4340 material that you’ve cre-
ated.
How
1. Model, Property
Menu
Tip: You can also create a new Property using the New command on the “context sensitive
menu” located on the Properties branch in the Model Info tree (simply click to highlight the
top level of the Properties branch or any existing Property, then right mouse click to see the
context sensitive menu).
2. Define Property dialog box:
Elem/Property Type
3. Element Property Type dialog box:
Line Elements: Beam
OK
4. Define Property - BEAM Element Type dialog box:
Shape
5. Cross Section Definition dialog box:
Shape: General Section
6. Surface
7. Select Surface to Check dialog box:
Click on the surface.
OK
8. Vector Locate - Define Section Y Axis dialog box:
Base: 0, 0, 0 (make sure these are the X,Y,Z values for the base)
Tip: 0, 1, 0 (enter these X,Y,Z values for the tip)
OK
Notice: This vector defines the Y axis for the section.
9. Cross Section Definition dialog box:
OK
Title: General Beam Section

Notice: The calculated section properties are now displayed in this dialog box.
11. Material: AISI 4340 Steel
OK, then...
Cancel
Meshing the Model 11-5
Meshing the Model

This model will be meshed with two types of elements: beam elements on the longitudinal curves, and rod elements on the
curves that connect the beams. Once you’ve created the elements, you’ll merge the coincident nodes.
Creating the Beam Mesh

First, mesh the longitudinal curves with beams whose properties were defined in the previous section.
What
Hide the beam section and show the default layer.
How
OR
Press Crtl+Q.
2. CHECK “1..Default Layer”
UNCHECK “2..Beam Section”

3. Click Done
Tip: You can “hide and show” layers very easily using the Model Info tree. You can simply
check or uncheck layers one at a time.
You can also select any number of layers using the Ctrl or Shift keys and the mouse. Once the
layers are selected, right mouse on the “visibility check boxes” and choose the Show Selected,
Show Selected Only, or the Hide Selected command.
You can also choose to View All Layers or View Visible Layers Only by selecting those com-
mands from the “context sensitive menu” for Layers
V1
Y
X
Z
What
Rotate the model to get a trimetric view for meshing.
How
1. View, Rotate, Model

Menu
Tip: You can press the F8 key instead of using the command above.
2. View Rotate dialog box:
Trimetric
OK
What
Mesh the longitudinal curves with beams. You’ll use the general beam cross section to define the beam. After you select the
cross section, you’ll enter a vector to define the beam element orientation. It’s important that this vector be identical to the
one used to define the cross section properties; otherwise, your analysis results may be incorrect.
How
1. Mesh, Geometry, Curve

Menu
2. Entity Selection dialog box:
Pick the curves highlighted in the following figure (Curve IDs 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24,
25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32).
OK
Creating the Beam Mesh 11-7
3. Geometry Mesh Options dialog box:
Property: General Beam Section
OK
4. Vector Locate dialog box:
Base: 0, 0, 0 (make sure these are the X, Y, Z values for the base)
Tip: 0, 1, 0 (enter these X, Y, Z values for the tip)
OK
V1
Y
X
Z
What
Display the beam elements with their cross sections visible.
How
1. F6 key View Options

2. View Options dialog box:
Category: Labels, Entities, and Color
Option: Element Orientation/Shape (select)
Element Shape: Show Cross Section (select)
OK
Tip: You can also “toggle” the cross-sections of line elements on/off using the “Thickness/
Cross Section” command from the View Style menu located on the View Toolbar.
What
Rotate and zoom the model to get a better look at the cross section. Your cross section may have an incorrect orientation that
you need to modify.
How
1. Rotate the model slightly to the see the cross sections better.
2. Zoom (on View Toolbar)
Notice: Compare your beams with the following diagram. Note that the “notch” on each
cross section faces the inside of the part. If some of your beams are oriented differently, you
will need to modify them. The following steps show you how to reverse the normals when
they are facing in the wrong direction.
It is normal for you to need to modify the normal direction of some of your beams to make it
look like the figure below.
Creating the Rod Mesh 11-9
3. Modify, Update Elements, Line Element Reverse Direction

Menu
Pick the elements to modify. (Pick only the elements with cross sections facing in the wrong
direction.)
OK
5. In Update Element Direction dialog box:
Reverse Direction
OK
Creating the Rod Mesh

You will now mesh the remaining curves with rod elements to connect the beams.
What
Mesh the curves. You’ll also need to create a new property to define the rods.
How
1. Mesh, Geometry, Curve

Menu
Pick all of the unmeshed curves: the cross braces and the connection between the two rows of
beams.
OK
Property “icon button”

Notice: You only have the General Beam Section property in your model. You’ll need to cre-
ate a rod property.
Elem/Property Type
5. Line Elements: Rod
OK
6. Define Property - ROD Element Type dialog box:
Title: 2 inch Diameter Rod
Area: 3.14
7. Material: AISI 4340 Steel
OK
OK
Notice: The property you created is selected for the element’s property.
Notice: The curves are meshed with rod elements.
What
Reduce the amount of information displayed by turning off the display of geometry and labels.
Merging Coincident Nodes 11-11
How
OR
Press Crtl+Q
2. Visibility dialog box:
Choose the Entity/Label tab
UNCHECK Geometry.... header (unchecks all geometric entities)
3. Choose Labels radio button
4. Click All Off button, then...
Click Done
Notice: You can use the Entity Display Toolbar to quickly toggle Geometry and Labels on
and off. If the Entity Display Toolbar is not visible, you can turn it on using the Tools, Tool-
bars, Entity Display command to make visible (shown “undocked”).
You have the option to toggle ALL Geometry on and off using the first icon or you can turn
them on and off individually by clicking the icon for each geometric entity one at a time.
The third icon allows you to toggle Labels on and off.
Merging Coincident Nodes

Because the curves were meshed with two meshing operations, there will be nodes at the ends of both the beam and rod ele-
ments. You will merge these coincident nodes to effectively “sew” the model together.
What
Merge the coincident nodes.
How
1. Tools, Check, Coincident Nodes

Menu
Select All
OK
3. Check/Merge Coincident dialog box:
Action: Merge
Keep ID: Automatic
Move To: Current Location

4. OK
Notice: Look in the Messages dockable pane to see how many coincident nodes have been
merged. All rod and beam elements are now connected together.
Applying Constraints and Loads

You will create a constraint set to model symmetry and fix the end. The symmetry of the truss will be used to reduce the
model to half the size.
You will also apply a load to this model to simulate something hanging from the truss.
Modeling Symmetry and a Fixed End

To simulate the symmetry of this part, you will constrain the four nodes that are at the halfway point of the structure. You are
defining symmetry across the X-plane through these four points. By imposing this type of constraint condition, you are actu-
ally introducing a stiffness exactly equal to the structure modeled, just mirrored above the X-plane.
What
Create the constraints to model symmetry and fix the end. You’ll also constrain the rest of the model in all DOF except the X
and Y translations.
How

Menu
Modeling Symmetry and a Fixed End 11-13
Isometric
OK
3. Model, Constraint, Nodal
Menu
Notice: First, you’ll apply constraints at these nodes to model symmetry.

4. New Constraint Set dialog box:
Title: (enter a title)
OK
Pick nodes A, B, C, and D (see the following figure).
OK
D
B
C
6. Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog box:
X Symmetry
OK
Notice: The TX, RY, and RZ DOF are selected.
Because you are applying nodal constraints, you could control the constraint of each degree
of freedom individually in the dialog box, or you can use the quick keys to apply common
constraint conditions.
Pick nodes E and F (see the following figure).
OK
Notice: You are now fixing the nodes on the opposite end.
8. Create Nodal Constraints/DOF dialog box:
Fixed
OK
Notice: All DOF are selected.
Select All
OK
Notice: Finally, you’ll restrain the DOF for all nodes in the Z translation and all rotations.
10. Create Nodal Constraints dialog box:
DOF: TZ, RX, RY, RZ (check)
OK
11. No (to combine the constraints)
Entity Selection dialog box:
Cancel
What
Turn off element cross sections to better see the constraints.
How

Applying a Load to the Model 11-15
Options: Element Orientation/Shape (select)
Element Shape: Line/Plane Only (select)
OK
Tip: If you turn the constraint labels back on, you’ll see the degree of freedom numbers dis-
played for each constraint. (To do this, pick F6. Pick Options, Constraint. Under Label Mode,
pick Degree of Freedom.)
Applying a Load to the Model

You will now apply a load in the negative Y direction to simulate something hanging from this truss. Like constraints, loads
are grouped in sets. Before creating any loads, you must create a set to hold them.
What
Create the load in the negative Y direction.
How
1. Model, Load, Nodal

Menu
2. New Load Set dialog box:
Title: (enter a title)
OK
Pick nodes A and B.
OK
B
A
4. Create Loads on Nodes dialog box:
FY: Value: -200
OK, then...
Cancel
Notice: The default load type is force.
Analyzing the Model

Analyze the model using the NX Nastran solver.
What
Create the analysis set and solve the model.
How
1. Model, Analysis
Menu
Post-Processing the Results 11-17
2. Analysis Set Manager dialog box:
New
3. Analysis Set dialog box:
Title: (enter a title for the solve)

4. Analysis Program: 36..NX Nastran
Analysis Type: 1..Static
OK
5. Analyze
Post-Processing the Results

For this example, you will display three types of results: criteria plots, beam diagrams, and stresses on beam cross sections.
Displaying Criteria Diagrams

As an alternative to contours, you can use a basic criteria display that shows the output value of each element. The primary
purpose of a criteria display, however, is to limit the display based on a selected criteria.
What
Display a basic criteria view of the results.
How
1. F5 key View Select

2. View Select dialog box:
Deformed Style: Deform
3. Contour Style: Criteria
4. Deformed and Contour Data
5. Select PostProcessing Data dialog box:
Output Vectors: Deform: 1..Total Translation
Contour: 3022..Beam EndA Axial Force
OK (all dialog boxes)


Menu
Trimetric
OK
What
To reduce clutter, turn off display of undeformed elements.
How

Category: PostProcessing
3. Options: Undeformed Model

Displaying Criteria Diagrams 11-19
4. UNCHECK Draw Entity
OK
What
Modify the criteria for the elements to be displayed. Display the elements above the maximum limit of 350.
How

Notice: The PostProcessing category is already selected.
3. Options: Criteria Limits
4. Minimum: 0
Maximum: 350
5. Limits Mode: Above Maximum
OK
Notice: Only the elements with axial force values above 350 are displayed as shaded beams;
the other elements don’t have color.
Displaying Beam Diagrams

To conclude the example, you’ll generate beam diagrams of the axial stress. Beam diagrams display results along the length
of line elements. You can set options to control the direction of beam diagrams.
What
Generate a beam diagram of beam end axial stress.
How
1. View Select (On View Toolbar)
Deformed Style: None - Model Only
Contour Style: Beam Diagram
3. Deformed and Contour Data

Displaying Beam Diagrams 11-21
4. Select PostProcessing Data dialog box:
Contour: 3139..Beam EndA Pt1 Comb Stress
OK (all dialog boxes)
What
You can change the plane where the beam diagram will be drawn. FEMAP always draws the diagram in the plane that you
choose, even if the output is actually based on forces/stresses in a different plane.
How

Options: Beam Diagram
Default Direction: Element Z
OK
Notice: The beam diagrams are now drawn on the element Z plane.
What
Interactively view calculated stresses on the cross-section of beam elements.
How
1. View Select (On View Toolbar)
Contour Style: None - Model Only
3. OK
4. View, Advanced Post, Beam Cross Section

Menu
5. In Beam Cross Section Stress Control dialog box:
Select Single in Elements section
6. Click in text field next to Single, then...
Pick Element 2 (Top row, towards back of model, middle element).

Displaying Beam Diagrams 11-23
7. In Location section:
Position: 85
8. Select Screen Space radio button
A plot of the Axial Stress on the cross section of the beam should now appear while the dialog
box is still displayed.
Select Model Space radio button
Shown zoomed in for clarity
Move the slider bar between End A and End B.
This will dynamically change the results for a single element when set to Screen Space or
Model Space.
11. Position: 50
12. Select Screen Space radio button
13. In Show Stress section:
Select Combined Shear from drop-down
14. CHECK Vector Plot option
15. Click Advanced button
16. In Advanced Options dialog box:
In Vector Plot Options section:
UNCHECK Solid Vector option
CHECK Section Outline

17. Vector Length: 80
18. OK (All dialog boxes)
Notice: Once the view is Redrawn or Regenerated, the graphics window will revert back to
showing the model with no Beam Cross Section stresses displayed. To display the stresses
again using the same options, simply choose the View, Advanced Post, Beam Cross Section
command again.
This is the end of this example. You don’t need to save the model file.

Exercise 8 - Femap Example 11 - Analyzing A Beam Model

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Exercise 8 - Femap Example 11 - Analyzing A Beam Model

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11.

Analyzing a Beam Model

Importing the Geometry

1. File, Import, FEMAP Neutral

2. Read Model from FEMAP Neutral dialog box:

Go to the Examples directory in your FEMAP installation.

Defining the Material and Property

Defining the Material

AISI 4340 Steel

Defining the Beam Property

1. Click View Visibility icon (on View Toolbar)

Visibility dialog box:

Choose the Layer tab.

UNCHECK “1..Default Layer”

Line Elements: Beam

Shape: General Section

7. Select Surface to Check dialog box:

Click on the surface.

Tip: 0, 1, 0 (enter these X,Y,Z values for the tip)

Title: General Beam Section

Meshing the Model

Creating the Beam Mesh

1. Click View Visibility icon (on View Toolbar)

UNCHECK “2..Beam Section”

1. View, Rotate, Model

1. Mesh, Geometry, Curve

2. Entity Selection dialog box:

3. Geometry Mesh Options dialog box:

Property: General Beam Section

Tip: 0, 1, 0 (enter these X, Y, Z values for the tip)

1. F6 key View Options

Category: Labels, Entities, and Color

Option: Element Orientation/Shape (select)

Element Shape: Show Cross Section (select)

2. Zoom (on View Toolbar)

3. Modify, Update Elements, Line Element Reverse Direction

4. Entity Selection dialog box:

Creating the Rod Mesh

1. Mesh, Geometry, Curve

2. Entity Selection dialog box:

Property “icon button”

6. Define Property - ROD Element Type dialog box:

Title: 2 inch Diameter Rod

8. Geometry Mesh Options dialog box:

Notice: The curves are meshed with rod elements.

1. Click View Visibility icon (on View Toolbar)

Choose the Entity/Label tab

UNCHECK Geometry.... header (unchecks all geometric entities)

3. Choose Labels radio button

4. Click All Off button, then...

The third icon allows you to toggle Labels on and off.

Merging Coincident Nodes

1. Tools, Check, Coincident Nodes

2. Entity Selection dialog box:

Keep ID: Automatic

Move To: Current Location

Applying Constraints and Loads

Modeling Symmetry and a Fixed End

1. View, Rotate, Model

2. View Rotate dialog box:

Notice: First, you’ll apply constraints at these nodes to model symmetry.

Title: (enter a title)

Pick nodes A, B, C, and D (see the following figure).