Ansys Case Study

Failure Analysis Problems

Reference:
Finite Element Modeling and Simulation with Ansys Workbench,
Chen, Xiaolin and Liu, Yijun, CRC Press, 2015
Introduction
Structures such as bridges, aircraft,
and machine components can fail in
many different ways.
An overloaded structure may
experience permanent deformation,
which can lead to compromised
function or failure of the entire
structure.
When subjected to millions of small
repeated loads, a structure may have a
slow growth of surface cracks that can
cause material strength degradation
and a sudden failure.
When a slender structure is loaded in
compression, it may undergo an
unexpected large deformation and
lose its ability to carry loads.
Failure analysis plays an important role
in improving the safety and reliability
of an engineering structure
Problem
The following figure shows the cross-
sectional profile of a 39 ft long straight
railroad track.
Use structural steel for the track with
Young’s modulus E = 200 GPa and
Poisson’s ratio ν = 0.3.
Assume the track is fixed on one end
and subjected to a pressure load along
the axis of the track on the other end,
that is, the cross section at a distance
of 39 ft from the fixed end.
Determine the critical buckling load for
the railroad track