INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

[ 5TH YEAR MOTOR VEHICLE STREAM]

FINITE ELEMENT METHOD: ANSYS PROJECT PROJECT 2

GROUP 5

G R O UP M EM B ER S I D No

1.DEJEN FENTE 0875/08

2.ESUBALEW ALEBACHEW 0927/08

3.GETACHEW AREGA 1003/08

4.GIRMA KIDANE 1016/08

5.MELAKU TAMIRU 1203/08

6.MESFIN ARAGAW 1238/08

Submitted to: Mr. SHUMYE

Submission date:1/05/2012 E.C

WOLDIA, ETHIOPIA
Contents
1.Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1
2. Objective ................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.1 Main objective .................................................................................................................................... 1
2.2 Specific objective ................................................................................................................................ 1
3.Statement of problem ................................................................................................................................. 2
3.1 Problem simplification ........................................................................................................................ 2
3.2 Boundary condition ............................................................................................................................. 3
4. Manual calculations ................................................................................................................................. 4
5. Software outputs ....................................................................................................................................... 9
6. Comparison ............................................................................................................................................. 18
7. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 18
References .................................................................................................................................................. 19

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 PART TWO
1.Introduction
ANSYS Workbench combines the strength of our core simulation tools with the tools
necessary to manage your projects. We can work by using ANSYS Workbench project on
the main project workspace, called the Project tab. The project is driven by a schematic
workflow, represented visually on a flowchart-like diagram called the Project Schematic. To
build an analysis, we can add building blocks called systems to the Project Schematic; each
system is a block of one or more components called cells, which represent the sequential
steps necessary for the specific type of analysis. Once we have added our systems, we can
link them together to share and/or transfer data between systems. From the cells in the Project
Schematic, we can work with various ANSYS applications and analysis tasks. Some of these
open in tabs within the Workbench environment, while others open independently in their
own windows. ANSYS applications allow specifying parameters such as geometry
parameters, material properties and boundary conditions. Parameters can be defined within
the application and managed at the project-level in the Workbench environment. To perform
our analysis, we will work through the cells of each system in order—typically from top to
bottom—defining inputs, specifying project parameters, running our simulation, and
investigating the results [1].

2. Objective
2.1 Main objective
The main objective of the project is to solve simple supported beam problem with both
ANSYS Workbench and finite element method analysis.

2.2 Specific objective

 To determine maximum Displacement of the beam

 To determine maximum bending Stress along the beam

 To determine bending moment along the beam

 To determine reactions force

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3.Statement of problem
Consider simple supported beam as shown below.it is fixed support on the left side and has a
point force of 3 KN acting downward on the center of the beam and movable at the left end
of the beam the beam has total length of L mm, width of W mm and height of H mm (cross
section is square) young’s modulus of the material is 20 GPa. Determine the following and
finally check exact solution then compare the results.

1) The maximum displacement of the beam

2) Maximum bending stress along the beam

3) Bending moment along the beam

4) Reaction force

3.1 Problem simplification

In solving structural problems like this we can use either direct formulation method or weight
residual method that is dictated in finite element courses. For a simple support beam problem as
shown in the figure below

Fig : simple support beam

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First, we should determine the reaction forces in the beam and moment distribution across the
beam then we can apply weight residual method to determine deflection across the beam.

3.2 Boundary condition

We first consider the case of fixed end boundary conditions. Hence all boundary conditions are
such that the deflection at both ends of the beam is considered to be zero because of the support in
the beam. Hence we have ⱷ1 = 0 and ⱷ2 =0 since, node 1 and 3 is having support.

Finally, the domain will be 0<X<9 m.

Assumption

1. Bending moment is assumed to be positive in the clockwise direction.

2. Poisons ratio is assumed to be zero.

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4. Manual calculations

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5. Software outputs
Open workbench 18.1 from the start button

Step 1. Under tool box>Analysis system>double click on static structural, then rename
“simple supported beam”.

Step 2. Double click engineering data then write steel under table, “contents of engineering
data on click here to add a new material, enter.

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Under tool box>linear elastic> double click on isentropic elasticity, then give the value of
modulus elasticity i.e. 20e3 and poisons ratio 0.
Step 3. Return to project i.e. below the main bar, then double click geometry.

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Step 4. Under sketching toolbox select draw>line and make them concurrent. And in
the sketching toolbox click on dimension >enter the length of the beam, L1=4500mm,
L2= 4500mm.

Step 5. Under concept in the main bar click on lines from sketches > and join the lines
using CTRL, finally click on generate.

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 Step 6. Click on concept>cross section>rectangular then insert the values
H=500mm, B=500mm.

Step 7. Then close the design modeler and click on model>geometry>select material>steel.
Then finally mesh>mesh sizing enter 20mm then click on update.

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Step 8. Under outline click on static structural>then click vertex selector from the main
bar and click on support>fixed support>the apply.

Step 9. Under outline click on static structural>then click vertex selector from the main
bar and click on support>displacement support>the apply. In this case x-axis will be
free only the rests are zero.

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Step 10. Under outline click on static structural>then click vertex selector from the main
bar and click on loads >force>click on the middle vertex>then apply.

Step 11. Under the outline click on solution >deformation>total deformation, similarly
solution >beam tool>total bending moment and click on total shear moment diagram.

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Step 12. Finally click on solve. And few second later this will appear.

Step 13. Finally, the results will be

Under outline section click on total deformation.

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Total bending moment will be

Total shear-moment diagram

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Finally close the modeler to check our steps are correct

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6. Comparison
Table: results
Results Manual calculation Software outputs
Total deformation ⱷ max = 2.058933mm ⱷ max=1.9892mm
Total bending moment Q or θ max = 6.862 Nmm Q max=5.0532Nmm
Reaction forces Ra=1500N, Rb=1500N Ra =1500N , Rb = 1500N
Maximum bending stress Max bending stress -
=320.4kpa
As we can see from the above results, the values of the total deformation and total bending moment
approximately similar but in the case of reaction force with both analyses we have obtained similar
result.

The value of total bending moment obtained in ANSYS software analysis is larger than which is
obtained with manual calculation, and the percentage error which is calculated by considering
ANSYS software result as true value is 26.35 %, but for total deformation the error will be 3.38
%.

7. Conclusion
From the above ANSYS software analysis the maximum deformation that will occur in the simple
supported beam is 1.9882mm, and the total bending moment that experienced in the beam will be
5.0532mm.

Finally, as we can observe from the above results we may conclude that using ANSYS software
for simple support beam problem will lead to more accurate result and many scientific properties
will be obtained and from those results we can estimate or reduce the maximum deformation that
occurs in the beam.

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References

[1] G. L. Narasaiah, Finite Element Analysis, Dundigal, Hyderabad: BS Publications, 2008.

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