WORKSHOP 1

COMPOSITE MODEL OF LOADED

FLAT PLATE

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Copyright 2004 MSC.Software Corporation

WS1-1

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

WS1-2

Problem Description

Model a 1x1 meter plate. Use millimeters as units of length.

The plate is 4 mm thick and is a laminate made up of 16 plies with equal
thickness. The laminate is uniform. The plies have two orientations, 0 and
90 degrees, i.e. parallel to the plate edges.
The material properties of the lamina are
E-modulus:
E11 = 181 GPa,
E22 = 10.3 GPa

Shear modulus:

G12 = 7.17 GPa,

G23 = 5.00 GPa,
G13 = 7.17 GPa

Poisson Ratio:
0.28
Density:
1.6E-9
The plate is fixed along one edge, and supported laterally at one of the two
opposite corners.
The plate is loaded with a uniform pressure of 0.1 KPa, giving a total force
acting on the plate of 100 Newtons.
We want to investigate the occurring stresses in the layers and the
maximum deflection of the plate.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

WS1-3

Suggested Exercise Steps

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Create a new database

Create the model surface
Mesh the surface to create the model elements
Constrain an edge and an opposite point
Create pressure loading for the plate
Create 2D orthotropic material for lamina
Create composite laminate from 2D orthotropic material
Define 2D shell elements
Determine direction of element normals
Verify orientation angle of laminate
Run analysis using MSC.Nastran
Attach .XDB results file to MSC.Patran database
Look at stresses and displacements

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

WS1-4

Step 1. Create a New Database

Open a new database. Name it

Flatplate.db.
a. File / New.
b. Enter Flatplate as the file
name.
c. Click OK.
d. Select MSC.Nastran as the
Analysis Code.
e. Select Structural as the
Analysis Type.
f. Click OK.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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d
e

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Step 2. Create the Model Surface

e

a
Create the flatplate geometry.
a. Geometry: Create / Surface /
XYZ
b. Enter <1000, 1000, 0> as the
Vector Coordinates List.
c. Enter [0 0 0] as the Origin
Coordinates List.
d. Click Apply-.
e. Click Iso 3 View.

b
c
d

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

WS1-6

Step 3. Mesh the Surface to Create the Model Elements

a
Create a mesh for the model.
a. Elements: Create / Mesh /
Surface.
b. Select IsoMesh as the
Mesher.
c.
Select Quad4 as the
Topology.
d. Uncheck the Automatic
Calculation.
e. Enter 125 as the Global
Edge Length Value.
f.
Select Surface 1 for the
Surface List.
g. Click Apply-.

b
c

f
d
e
g

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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Step 4. Constrain an Edge and an Opposite Point

a
Define constraints.
a. Loads/BCs: Create /
Displacement / Nodal.
b. Enter Fixed Edge as the
New Set Name.
c. Click Input Data.
d. Enter <0, 0, 0> as the
Translations.
e. Click OK.
f. Click Select Application
Region.
g. Select Edge Icon.
h. Select Surface 1.4 for
Select Geometry Entities.
i. Click Add.
j. Click OK
k. Click Apply-.

h
i
b

k
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
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10, March 2001
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g
WS1-8

Step 4. Constrain an Edge and an Opposite Point (Cont.)

a
Define constraints.
a. Loads/BCs: Create /
Displacement / Nodal.
b. Enter Supported Point as
the New Set Name.
c. Click Input Data.
d. Enter < , , 0> as the
Translations.
e. Click OK.
f. Click Select Application
Region.
g. Select Point Icon.
h. Select Point 2 for Select
Geometry Entities.
i. Click Add.
j. Click OK
k. Click Apply-.

h
i
b

f
k

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
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10, March 2001
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g
WS1-9

Step 5. Create Pressure Loading for the Plate

a
Define Loading.
a. Loads/BCs: Create /
Pressure / Element
Uniform.
b. Enter Pressure Load as
the New Set Name.
c. Click Input Data.
d. Enter 0.0001 as the Top
Surf Pressure.
e. Click OK.
f. Click Select Application
Region.
g. Select Surface Icon.
h. Select Surface 1 for Select
Surface or Edges.
i. Click Add.
j. Click OK
k. Click Apply-.

h
i

f
k

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
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2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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g
WS1-10

Step 5. Create Pressure Loading for the Plate (Cont.)

The model should look

like this after clicking
Apply-.

Note that the pressure

0.0001 is in MegaPascals.

Until now this exercise has

been quite straight forward,
but the next step is to define
the laminate.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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Step 6. Create 2D Orthotropic Material for Lamina

d
Define lamina material properties.
a. Materials: Create / 2D
Orthotropic / Manual Input.
b. Enter ud_t300_n5208 as the
Material Name.
c. Click Input Properties.
d. Select Linear Elastic as the
Constitutive Model.
e. Enter 181000 as the Elastic
Modulus 11.
f. Enter 10300 as the Elastic
Modulus 22.
g. Enter 0.28 as the Poisson
Ratio 12.
h. Enter 7170 as the Shear
Modulus 12.
i. Enter 5000 as the Shear
Modulus 23.
j. Enter 7170 as the Shear
Modulus 13.
k. Enter 1.6E-9 as the Density.
l. Click OK.
m. Click Apply.
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
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10, March 2001
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e
f
h
j

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k

These material properties

will be used later for other
workshops. Thus, a session
file, material.ses, is provided
with the workshop files. This
can
be
played
into
MSC.Patran creating the
properties quickly and easily.

c
m

l
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Step 7. Create Composite Laminate From 2D Orthotropic Material

Define laminate properties.

a. Materials: Create /
Composite / Laminate.
b. Enter My first laminate
as the Material Name.
c. Select Insert as the Text
Entry Mode.
d. Select Material Names.
e. Input
16(ud_t300_n5208) as
the Insert Material
Names.
f. Click Load Text Into
Spreadsheet.

a
Now build the laminate out of
the lamina just defined. Take
notice of how the laminate is
defined in the spreadsheet.
16 rows corresponding to
plies are created. Also,
need to fill in thickness and
orientations.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
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Step 7. Create Composite Laminate (Cont.)

a. Select Overwrite as the

Text Entry Mode.
b. Select Thickness.
c. Enter 16(0.25) as the
Overwrite Thicknesses.
d. Click Load Text Into
Spreadsheet.

b
d

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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Step 7. Create Composite Laminate (Cont.)

a. Select Overwrite as the

Text Entry Mode.
b. Select Orientations.
c. Enter 4(90/0) as the
Overwrite Orientations.
d. Click Load Text Into
Spreadsheet.
(4 pairs of 90 degrees
and 0 degrees)
e. Enter 4(0/90) in
Overwrite Orientations.
f. Click Load Text Into
Spreadsheet.

(4 pairs of 0 degree and

90 degrees)
g. Click Apply-.

b
d f

g
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

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Step 8. Define 2D Shell Elements

Define 2D element properties.

The composite laminate
material property is to be used.
a. Properties: Create / 2D /
Shell.
b. Enter Plate as the
Property Set Name.
c. Select Laminate as the
Options.
d. Select Standard
Formulation as the
Options.
e. Click Input Properties.
f. Select My First
Laminate as the
Material Name.
g. Select Vector.
h. Enter <1. 0. 0.> as the
Material Orientations.
i. Click OK.
j. Select Surface1 as the
Select Members.
k. Click Add.
l. Click Apply.

a
f
g

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

Now the fiber directions have

been related to the MSC.Patran
global X direction. Half of the
fibres are rotated 90 degrees
relative to this direction.

c
d
e
j
k

i
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Step 9. Determine Direction of Element Normals

It is best to check a
model before running
an analysis, especially
when the materials are
laminates. Remember
that layer 1 is at the
bottom of the stack of
plies. First, check the
direction of the element
normals to determine
what direction is up.

Verify laminate direction.

a. Elements: Verify /
Element / Normals.
b. Select Draw Normal
Vectors as the Display
Control.
c. Click Apply.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
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Verify that all vectors are pointing in

the positive z-axis direction

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Step 10. Verify Orientation Angle of Laminate

The initial reference direction is

shown. Note that the individual
fibre directions cannot be seen.
They can only be checked in the
laminate spreadsheet. The total
laminate
thickness
can
be
checked, but this is of little interest
in this case.

It is necessary to verify that all the

layers are defined correctly, and
there are several tools that can be
used to do this task.

b
Verify Laminate Direction.
a. Properties: Show.
b. Select Orientation
Angle as the Existing
Properties.
c. Select Vector Plot
as the Display
Method.
d. Click Apply-.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
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10, March 2001
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d
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Step 11. Run Analysis Using MSC.Nastran

a
Set up and run the analysis.
a. Analysis: Analyze / Entire
Model / Full Run
b. Click Subcases.
c. Select Default as an
Available Subcases.
d. Click Output Requests.

d
b

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
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2004 MSC.Software
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Step 11. Run Analysis Using MSC.Nastran (Cont.)

a. Select Advanced as the

Form Type.
b. Select STRESS as the
Output Requests.
c. Select Ply Stresses as the
Composite Plate Opt.
d. Click OK.

d
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
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Step 11. Run Analysis Using MSC.Nastran (Cont.)

a. Click Apply in the Subcase

Menu.
b. Click Cancel.
c. Click Apply in the Analysis
menu.

c
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
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a
WS1-21

Step 12. Attach .XDB Results File to MSC.Patran Database

a
Create a link to the MSC.Nastran
analysis results file

a. Analysis: Access Results /

Attach XDB / Result Entities.
b. Click Select Results Files.
c. Select Flatplate.xdb.
d. Click OK.
e. Click Apply.

b
e
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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Step 13. Look at Stresses and Displacements

a
View the results
a. Results: Create / Quick Plot.
b. Select Default, Static
Subcases as the Select
Result Cases.
c. Select Stress Tensor as the
Select Fringe Result.
d. Select Layer 12 as the
Position.
e. Click Close.
f. Select X Component as the
Quality.
g. Select Displacements,
Translational as the Select
Deformation Result.
h. Click Apply.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
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10, March 2001
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d
b

First look at the stresses in

one of the layers. Choose
layer 12, and plot stresses in
the X-direction.

c
d

f
g

h
WS1-23

Step 13. Look at Stresses and Displacements (Cont.)

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

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Step 13. Look at Stresses and Displacements (Cont.)

Also, investigate the deflection of

the plate.
a. Select Displacements,
Translational as the
Select Fringe Result.
b. Click Apply.

b
PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004
Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
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Ifextratime
Another laminate builder tool can be found in
the Utilities menu: Materials/Laminate Builder
Tool. Check it out.
Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitateto
ask.
Donotdeletethisdatabase,itwillbeusedlater.

PAT325, Workshop 1, February 2004

Mar120, Workshop
Copyright
2004 MSC.Software
10, March 2001
Corporation

WS1-26