TASK ONE

INTRODUCTION:

The goal of this experiment is to use the VON Mises stress criteria to investigate the effect of
load on a metal plate and how its failure is also affected.

Passport number: A01342618. Last digit is 8

Step one:

Figure 1.1. 3 – CAD sketch for the bar.

The first step is to draw a rectangle with length 208mm and width 88mm according to the
diagram in figure 1.1. The next step is to sketch a circle with diameter 28mm and place at the
centre of the rectangle using relations (coincident) to form a defined sketch as shown in figure
1.1

Step two:

After step one, the next step is to extrude the sketch from figure 1.1 to a depth of 18mm as
shown in figure 1.2. to complete the fully defined sketch in figure 1.3.

1
 Fig
ure 1.2. The 18mm extruded sketch

2
 Figur
e 1.3. the fully defined sketch for the rectangular plate.

TASK TWO
The material alloy steel is assigned to the metal plate which has a yield stress of 620.42 MPa
as shown in figure 2.1

3
Figure 2.1. The caption showing the assigning of the alloy material

4
 TASK THREE
Apply restraint to the bottom face as shown in figure 3.1. The load force of 108000N is
applied as shown in figure 3.2.

Figure 3.1. The picture showing the fixed edge of the metal plate.

5
 Figure 3.2. The applied load of 108000N.

TASK FOUR
The picture of the meshed plate is shown in figure 4.1. The technique used to create the mesh
is shown in figure 4.2. As shown in figure 4.2, the option run is selected from the task bar
and create mesh is then selected. After create mesh is selected, the mesh window then opens.
This is where the parameters of the mesh are inputted. In this case, the parameters are as
follows:

 Mesh density: fully coarse (100%)

 Standard mesh
 Global size = 13.66mm
 Tolerance = 0.683 mm

6
 Figure 4.1. The diagram of the meshed plate

Figure 4.2. Taskbar showing the create mesh option

TASK FIVE
a. Stress distribution plot:

The stress distribution plot for the load of value 108000N and mesh value fully coarse is
shown on figure 5.1.

7
 Figure 5.1. The stress plot for load = 108,000N and mesh fully coarse.

 In figure 5.1, the blue colour represents the region of least or minimum Von Mises
stress while the red colour represents the region of maximum or principle Von Mises
stress on the metal plate. The remaining colours are arranged in an ascending order
from the blue to the red apex. These different colours represent the different Von
mises stresses that occur at different regions of the metal plate.
 The maximum von mises stress criterion is a Technique used to predict the failure of
ductile materials. The theory states that a ductile material starts to yield at a location
when the principle von Mises stress becomes equal to the stress limit. In most cases,
the yield strength is used as the stress limit. In order words, if the maximum von Mises
stress exceeds the yield stress the material yields (that is becomes plastic). 
 Maximum von mises stress = 206.1MPa
 Minimum von mises stress = 20.5MPa

b. Displacement plot:

The displacement plot for the load of value 108000N and mesh value fully coarse is shown on
figure 5.2.

8
 Figure 5.2. The displacement plot for load = 108,000N and mesh fully coarse.

 In figure 5.2, the blue colour represents the region of least or minimum displacement
(due to least Von mises stress) while the red colour represents the region of maximum
displacement (Due to principle Von mises stress) of the metal plate. The remaining
colours are arranged in an ascending order from the blue to the red apex. These
different colours represent the different displacements that occur at different regions of
the metal plate.
 Resultant displacement is defined as the effective or equivalent displacement that can
be used to represent the three different displacements in the x, y and z planes due to
the von Mises stress.
 Maximum displacement = 7.472 * 10-2mm
 Minimum displacement = 1.0 * 10-30mm

c. Strain plot:

The strain plot for the load of value 108000N and mesh value fully coarse is shown on figure
5.3.

9
 Figure 5.3. The Strain plot for load = 108,000N and mesh fully coarse.

 In figure 5.3, the blue colour represents the region of least or minimum strain (due to
least Von mises stress) while the red colour represents the region of maximum strain
(Due to principle Von mises stress) of the metal plate. The remaining colours are
arranged in an ascending order from the blue to the red apex. These different colours
represent the different strains that occur at different regions of the metal plate.
 The Von Mises equivalent strain is an index gained from the combinations of
Principal Stresses at any given point to determine at which points stress occurring on
the x, y and z axis will cause failure. This calculation method is used for measuring
strain distributions within a ductile material.
 Maximum equivalent strain = 7.851* 10-4
 Minimum equivalent strain = 9.178 * 10-5

TASK SIX
The meshes for three different element sizes of load 108,000N are shown in table 6.1.

10
 Table 6.1. different mesh sizes for load 108000N

Mesh Preview of mesh Mesh setting

 Mesh density: fully

coarse (100%)
 standard mesh
 global size =
First mesh
13.66mm
 tolerance= 0.683
mm

 Mesh density: 50%

coarse and 50% fine
 standard mesh
 global size =
Second mesh
6.83mm
 tolerance= 0.342
mm

 Mesh density: fully

fine (100%).
 standard mesh

Third mesh  global size =

3.42mm
 tolerance= 0.17mm

Simulation results for the three different element sizes of load 108,000N are shown in table
6.2

Table 6.2. Simulation results for different mesh sizes of load 108,000N

11
First mesh: Stress distribution
plot
Fully coarse
(100%) Min = 20.5MPa

Max = 206.1MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10-30mm

Max = 7.47 *10-2

mm

Strain plot

Min = 9.17 * 10-5

mm

Max = 7.85 * 10-4

mm

Second Stress distribution

Mesh: 50% plot
coarse and
Min = 12.9 MPa
50% fine
Max = 226 MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10-30 mm

Max = 7.92 * 10 -2
mm

12
 Strain plot

Min = 2.49 * 10-5

Max = 8.02 * 10-4

Third mesh: Stress distribution

plot
Fully fine
(100%) Min = 7MPa

Max = 234.5MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10 -30mm

Max = 7.5 * 10 -2
mm

Strain plot

Min = 6.83 * 10-5

Max = 8.53 * 10-4

TASK SEVEN
a. Simulation results for the three different element sizes of load 128,000N are shown in
table 7.1.

Table 7.1. Simulation results for different mesh sizes of load 128,000N

13
First mesh: Stress distribution
plot
Fully coarse
(100%) Min = 24.3MPa

Max = 244.2MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10-30mm

Max = 8.86 *10-2

mm

Strain plot

Min = 1.1 * 10-4 mm

Max = 9.3* 10-4 mm

Second Stress distribution

Mesh: 50% plot
coarse and
Min = 15.3 MPa
50% fine
Max = 267.8 MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10-30 mm

Max = 8.9 * 10 -2
mm

14
 Strain plot

Min = 8.9* 10-5

Max = 9.5 * 10-4

Third Stress distribution

mesh: plot

Fully fine Min = 8.3MPa

(100%)
Max = 278MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10 -30mm

Max = 8.91 * 10 -2
mm

Strain plot

Min = 8 * 10-5

Max = 1 * 10-3

b. Simulation results for the three different element sizes of load 158,000N are shown in
table 7.2.

Table 7.2. Simulation results for different mesh sizes of load 158,000N

15
First mesh: Stress distribution
plot
Fully coarse
(100%) Min = 30MPa

Max = 301.5MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10-30mm

Max = 1.1 *10-1

mm

Strain plot

Min = 1.34 * 10-4

mm

Max = 1.2* 10-3

mm

Second Stress distribution

Mesh: 50% plot
coarse and
Min = 18.9 MPa
50% fine
Max = 330.6 MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10-30 mm

Max = 1.1* 10 -1
mm

16
 Strain plot

Min = 1.1* 10-4

Max = 1.17 * 10-3

Third Stress distribution

mesh: plot

Fully fine Min = 10.3MPa

(100%)
Max = 342.1MPa

Displacement plot

Min = 1 * 10 -30mm

Max = 1 * 10 -1 mm

Strain plot

Min = 9.98* 10-5

Max = 1.25 * 10-3

TASK EIGHT
Results for all the simulations are shown in table 8.1. below.

Table 8.1. the results for all the simulations

Load Mesh Element Maximum Maximu Number Numbe Number

size Displaceme m Von- of r of Degrees of
nt Mises Element

17
 Stress
(mm) (mm) s nodes Freedom
(MPa)

Mesh 1 13.661 0.0747252 206.056 1104 2031 5940

Load 01

108000 Mesh 2 6.8302 0.0749226 225.973 7424 12080 35697

Mesh 3 3.4151 0.0749799 234.528 50197 74998 223227

Load 02 Mesh 4 13.661 0.0885633 244.215 1104 2031 5940

128000 Mesh 5 6.8302 0.0887972 267.82 7424 12080 35697

N
Mesh 6 3.4151 0.088865 277.959 50197 74998 223227

Load 03 Mesh 7 13.661 0.10932 301.453 1104 2031 5940

158000 Mesh 8 6.8302 0.109609 30.59 7424 12080 35697

N
Mesh 9 3.4151 0.109693 343.106 50197 74998 35697

TASK NINE
Result, discussion and conclusion:

The simulated experiment which was carried out in the solidwork software package is
generally known as failure analysis. This is defined as the process by which an engineer
utilizes one of the failure analysis technique or criteria to predict when a mechanical part is
going to fail. The technique used in this experiment is known as the maximum Von Mises
stress criteria. The theory states that a ductile material starts to yield at a location when the

18
principle von Mises stress becomes equal to the stress limit. Where, the stress limit is known
as the yield stress.

The first step that was carried out in order to apply this failure analysis technique in the
simulation package was to assign certain constraints (constraints means restriction). The
constraint which was applied in this report is of two types: fixed constraints (which were
applied at one end of the metal plate) and a static load which was directed outwards to cause
tension at the other end. This applied force produces different amount of stress across the
metal plate and if large enough can cause failure. Another important constraint which was
added is the safety factor constraint. Safety factor is defined as the structural strength
divided by the minimum structural strength required. The greater the safety factor, the lower
the like hood of structural factor and the more stress cycles the structure can take. Small
structures often have large safety factors because of the minimum gauge that can be crafted.
Safety factor used in the report is one.

When the different loads are added to the metal plate, it expands. This is due to the fact that
the plate is made up of steel alloy which is ductile in nature. Furthermore, the plate will
exhibit two types of expansions, namely elastic and plastic expansion. Elastic expansion
occurs when the Von - Mises principle stress which is exerted on the plate is less than a
physical quantity known as yield stress. This means that the metal plate will return to its
original position after deformation. Plastic expansion occurs when the Von – Mises principle
stress on the metal plate exceeds the yield stress in value. At this point, the metal plate will
not be able to return to its original position and may eventually fail.

If we take a look at figure 9.1, we will observe that the maximum or principle Von – Mises
Stress is concentrated along the hole in the metal plate.

19
 Figure 9.1. The red portion in the holes shows the area where the principle Von – mises
stress is concentrated.

This occurs because the hole in the metal plate constitutes of what is known as a stress riser.
A stress riser can be generally defined as a mechanical defect, such as a crack or a hole that
concentrates stress due to the fact that these parts are weaker than the rest of the body and
predominantly causes failure in mechanical parts. In the case of the metal plate, the type of
deformation is elastic and it will not fail because all the principle Von – Mises stress does not
exceed the yield stress of alloy steel.

Analysis and comparison:

a. For analysis, let us cut out a section in table 8.1 as shown in figure 9.2.

Figure 9.2. The principle Von – Mises stress is represented in bold.

If we take a look at figure 9.2, we will observe the following things:

20
  Mesh 1 has less maximum displacement and principle Von – Mises stress than Mesh
2.
 Mesh 2 has less maximum displacement and principle Von – Mises stress than Mesh
3.

Reason:

The reason is that Mesh 1 has a greater element size (13.661mm) than Mesh 2 which has an
element size of 6.8302mm. In turn mesh 2 has a greater element size than Mesh 3
(3.4151mm). This means that Mesh 1 is very thick in terms of roughness or coarseness and so
will be able to withstand more stress than Mesh 2 and Mesh 3. This is why the Von – Mises
principle stress is smaller in Mesh 1 and increases to Mesh 3 in that order.

This explanation applies to the remaining loads (128000N and 158000N).

b. If we take another look at table 8.1, we will observe that the principle Von – Mises stress
increase as we move from Load 01 to Load 03.

Reason:

The reason is that the force or load applied to a material is directly proportional to the stress
exerted on that material. Furthermore, this stress is directly proportional to the principle Von
– Mises stress on the same material. So since Load 02 is greater than Load 01, the Von –
mises stress exerted by Load 02 will be greater than that exerted by Load 01 on the same
material. Likewise Von – Mises stress exerted by load 03 will be greater than that exerted by
Load 02.

Conclusion:

21
1. In all cases, the principle Von – Mises stress is always concentrated on the stress riser of
a material
2. If the Von – Mises stress exceeds the yield stress of a mechanical part, that part will
undergo plastic deformation and may eventually fail. But in this case, the metal plate
will not fail if exerted by the Load 01, Load 02 and Load 03. This is because none of
the principle Von – Mises stress exceeds the yield stress of steel alloy (620.42 MPa).
From table 8.1, the maximum Von – Mises stress equals 343.106 MPa. This was
exerted by Load 03 and is obviously less than 620.42 MPa .
3. The greater the mesh element size the lesser the Von – Mises stress will be exerted on
the material. This means that to reduce failure of parts, these parts should be constructed
from materials with greater mesh density (more coarse than Fine).
4. The Von – Mises stress is directly proportional to the applied load. The greater the load
the greater the principle Von – Mises stress which will be exerted. So mechanical parts
are prone to failure if more loads are exerted on them.

22