Truss: Mathematical Model

Axial displacement

Strain

Stress

Force
• Assumption: Each bar can only
elongate or contract Potential energy
• Need to model only midline
• Find pin displacements such that
total potential energy is
minimized

Potential Energy of a Spring

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 Potential Energy of a Bar

Potential Energy of a Truss

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 What’s Under the Blackbox?

Post-processing
Selected
Mathematical Numerical Color pictures
User inputs variables at
Model Solution & other results
selected points

Physical principles Blackbox

Assumptions
Hand calculations
Physical
Problem Experimental data

Potential Energy Minimization

3
 Hand Calculations of Expected Results and Trends
𝐴 0.81 𝑐𝑚
𝐿 45 𝑐𝑚
𝐸 200 𝐺𝑃𝑎
𝐹 1.2 𝑘𝑁

• Order of magnitude of pin

displacements
• Reactions
• Forces in the bars

What’s Under the Blackbox?

Post-processing
Selected
Mathematical Numerical Color pictures
User inputs variables at
Model Solution & other results
selected points

Physical principles Blackbox

Assumptions
Hand calculations
Physical
Problem Experimental data

4
 Calculation of Reaction Forces

Verification & Validation

• Verification: Did I solve the model right?

– Check consistency with mathematical model, level of numerical
errors, comparison with hand calcs
• Validation: Did I solve the right model?
– Check against experimental data

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5
 Truss V&V: Verification Steps
• Sanity checks
• Check that solution agrees with
mathematical model
– Are boundary conditions on displacement
satisfied?
– Are the displacements in the right ball park?
– Is equilibrium satisfied?
• Check that numerical error is acceptable
– Are ANSYS results reasonably independent
of mesh?
• Check comparison with hand calculations
– Reactions, axial forces, stresses

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