Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction To Finite Element Analysis Using ANSYS
Introduction To Finite Element Analysis Using ANSYS
using ANSYS
Sasi Kumar Tippabhotla
PhD Candidate
Xtreme Photovoltaics (XPV) Lab
EPD, SUTD
Disclaimer: The material and simulations (using Ansys student version) presented in this document are made purely for teaching and sharing knowledge and
NOT made for commercial use. The concepts and examples (other than author’s own research) presented here were taken from publicly available references or
internet. In both the cases, the original references / sources were properly acknowledged. This document is expected to be used only for personal learning /
teaching purpose.
Basic Idea of Finite Elements
No. of Elem 1 2 6
Element
Node
Area / Units
90
80
70
Actual Area
60 Area of Elements
50
40
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
No. of Elements
Finite Element Method
• A numerical method to solve (partial) differential equations
• Gives only approximate solution
• Applicable to several physical domains, for ex.
• Structural
• Thermal / Fluid
• Electromagnetic
• Coupled field
• Discretization of the structure into small portions – Elements
• Connecting points between elements – Nodes
Finite Element Analysis Procedure (Structures)
• Pre-processing
• Discretization of the structure – Meshing
• Assign element type and properties
• Assign material properties
• Apply Boundary conditions and Loads
• Solution
• Select the solver
• Calculate element stiffness matrices
• Assemble global stiffness matrix
• Solve for displacements, strains, stresses etc.
• Post-processing
• Display / Output displacements, strains, stresses etc.
• Calculate user defined parameters from the results
Finite Element Analysis Software
• Commercial / General purpose
• ANSYS – Simple, User friendly, low cost
• ABAQUS – Better solver, powerful for nonlinearities,high cost
• NASTRAN / PATRAN – Used for dynamics
• COMSOL – Multiphysics solver
• Altair Hypermesh / Optistruct – Good for meshing
• Open source / Free
• Cauliculix – Compatiable with ABAQUS
• GetFEM++ - Specially for Contact Analysis
• The list is not exhaustive, please find more in the link below
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_finite_element_software_packages
Finite Element Analysis - Uses
• New Product Design
• Virtual Design of Experiments (DoE)
• Fatigue Life / Fracture estimation Reduces new
• Design Optimization product validation
• Identification of sensor locations for testing / testing costs
/ validation
• Sensitivity analysis
• Existing Product
• Feasibility of Repairs / Upgrades
• Product remaining life estimation
• Identification of maintenance intervals
• Failure root cause analysis
Mathematical Preliminaries of FEM – Differential Equation
Uniform bar with one end fixed and axially loaded on the other end and body load
As =* = *(du/dx) and assume fB(x) = b
X
Weighted residual
formulation Variational Form / Weak Form of the Differential Equation
Advantages:
• No second order term – simple to solve numerically
• Symmetry
• Natural boundary condition is included, need not be
0
enforced.
• No double differentiation requirement for
displacement trail function
Ref: Hughes, T. J. R., 1987, The Finite Element Method: Linear Static and
Dynamic Finite Element Analysis, Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Mathematical Preliminaries of FEM – Numerical Solution
Uniform bar with one end fixed and axially loaded on the other end and body load
Approximate (Numerical) Solution
X With, A = E = L = b = P = 1 Substitute in the weighted
Let un(x) = x + a sin (x/2) residual equation
Ref: Hughes, T. J. R., 1987, The Finite Element Method: Linear Static and
Dynamic Finite Element Analysis, Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Different Types of Elements
1 D (line) Elements Special Purpose Elements
ek
Spring, Truss, Beam, Pipe etc. nj Point mass, Contact, Coupling, etc.
ni
ek
2 D (Plane) Elements nj
ni
Plate, Shell, Membrane etc.
nl
nk
3 D (Solid) Elements
3D continuum domains
Spring Element Formulation – Direct Method
Nodes
At node i
fi = -F = -k (uj – ui) = k ui – k uj
At node j
fj = F = k (uj – ui) = -k ui + k uj
Matrix Form
Nodal displacements
ku=F
Spring force, F
Ref: Yijun Liu, Lecture Notes – Introduction to FEM, Uni. Cincinnati, 2002
Two Springs – Formulation of Global Stiffness Matrix
Use force equilibrium at nodes to assemble global stiffness matrix
At node 1
F1 = f11 = k1 u1 – k1 u2
At node 2
F2 = f21 + f12 = -k1 u1 + k1 u2 + k2 u2 + k2 u3
Stiffness Matrix: Element 1 = -k1 u1 + (k1 + k2 )u2 + k2 u3
At node 3
F3 = f22 = -k2 u2 + k2 u3
Ref: Yijun Liu, Lecture Notes – Introduction to FEM, Uni. Cincinnati, 2002
Elastic Bar Element – Formulation
Nodal displacements At node i
fi = -F = -k (uj – ui) = k ui – k uj
At node j
fj = F = k (uj – ui) = -k ui + k uj
Matrix Form
Nodes
ku=F
Element Element nodal
Force, F
Element
k = EA/L stiffness nodal force vector
matrix displacement
vector
Displacement, u
Ref: Yijun Liu, Lecture Notes – Introduction to FEM, Uni. Cincinnati, 2002
Elastic Bar Element – Shape Functions
Nodal displacements
xi xj
= (uj - ui )/L
k = EA/L • Ni + Nj =1
b = (uj xi - ui xj )/L
• At node i, Ni = 1, Nj = 0
• At node j, Ni = 0, Nj = 1
There fore
Displacement, u u(x) = x(uj - ui )/L + (uj xi - ui xj )/L
Ref: Yijun Liu, Lecture Notes – Introduction to FEM, Uni. Cincinnati, 2002
Solution Methods
Direct Methods Iterative Methods
• Solution time is proportional to NB2, N is • Solution time is unknown before hand
the size of the matrix and B is bandwidth • Suitable for large problems and bulky
• Suitable for small to medium problems structures
and slender structures (small band width) • Approximate, difficult to handle – depends
• Accurate, easy to handle on initial guess
• Requires large memory space • Reduces memory space requirement
Bandwidth
Ref: Yijun Liu, Lecture Notes – Introduction to FEM, Uni. Cincinnati, 2002
Solution Methods
Direct Methods – Gauss Elimination Iterative Methods – Gauss-Siedel
Ref: Yijun Liu, Lecture Notes – Introduction to FEM, Uni. Cincinnati, 2002
Examples: Airbus A320
High Stress Regions ??
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/334392341058164942/
Examples: Jet Engine Failure Due to Drone Strike
Impact of a foreign object on an operating
jet engine – Can be catastrophic
Source: http://www.uasvision.com/2015/11/09/drone-strikes-could-cause-jet-engine-failure/
Example: Spanner Stress Analysis
Source: https://www.comsol.com/multiphysics/mesh-refinement
Example: Stresses in Silicon Solar Cells (Our Research)
Solder Joint
(µSXRD)
Ref: Nagamani Jaya B et al., 2012, Philosophical Magazine, 92:25-27, 3326-3345, DOI: 10.1080/14786435.2012.669068
Introduction to ANSYS (Classic): Cantilever Beam
Consider the beam in the figure below. It is clamped on the left side and has a point force of 8kN acting
downward on the right end of the beam. The beam has a length of 4 m, width of 1 m and height of 0.2 m
(cross-section is a rectangle). Additionally, the beam is composed of a material which has a Young's Modulus
of 2.8x10^10 Pa. Using ANSYS, calculate the following:
1. Deformation of the beam
2. Maximum bending stress along the beam
3. Bending moment along the beam
1m
0.2 m
Y
Step1: Define Element Size – Along Beam
1 2
3 4
Step1: Define Element Size – Across Beam
1 2
3
Step1: Mesh – Mapped mesh by corners
1 Select the area by clicking on it (notice change
of colour?)
2 Pick corners in cyclic order
Step1: Mesh – Define Analysis Type
Step1: Mesh – Define BC
1 2
3
Step1: Mesh – Define Load
1 2
Step1: Mesh – Solution
Step1: Results – Displacement, uy
Step1: Results – Stress, Sxx
Mesh Refinement: Spanner Stress Analysis
Source: https://www.comsol.com/multiphysics/mesh-refinement
Exercise – Stress concentration in Plate with a Hole
Eqv. Stress
6m
All DOF = 0 2m
Thickness = 500 mm
Material:
Steel
E = 200 GPa
Mu = 0.3
Some common mistakes
• Inconsistent units
• Wrong boundary conditions
• Wrong material property assignment
• Wrong element type assignment
Thank You