Practical Stress Analysis with

Finite Elements (2nd Edition)

Dr. Bryan J Mac Donald

BryanMacDonald/GlasnevinPublishing20072011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 191 to 192 of book

ModellingOverview
Q1:Haveyoucheckedyourmodeldimensions?(section6.2.2)
Q2: Isatrussorbeamassumptionvalidforyourmodel?(section6.2.3)
Q3:Isaplanarassumptionvalidforyourmodel?(section6.2.4)
Q4:Isathinshellassumptionvalidforyourmodel?(section6.2.5)
Q5:Isacombinedbeam/shellassumptionvalidforyourmodel?(section6.2.6)
Q5: Doesyourmodelexhibitanysymmetry?Canitbeusedtosimplifythemodel?(section6.2.7)
Q6: Doesyourmodelrequireanydefeaturingtosimplifythemodel?(section6.2.8)
Q7:Doesyourmodelrequirecleaningupbeforeanalysiscantakeplace?(section6.2.9)
Q8:Wouldusingacylindricalorsphericalcoordinatesystemsimplifythemodelormakemodelingeasier?
(section6.2.10)
Q9:Wouldtheanalysisbemadeeasierbysplittingitupintoseveralmoresimpleanalyses,orbyusingsub
structuringorsubmodeling?(section6.2.11)

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

TrussandBeamAssumptions

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 192 to 193 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 192 to 193 of book

TrussandBeamAssumptions

Mostbeginnersstarthereandworkdown!
3DSolid?
PlaneStress/Plane
Strain?
Axisymmetric?
Beam?
Truss?

Youshouldstarthereandworkup!!!!

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

PlanarAssumptions

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 194 to 195 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

ThinShellAssumptions

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 195 to 196 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 196 to 197 of book

CombinedBeam&ShellAssumptions

Neutralaxisoffsetiskey!!!

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

SimplificationthroughSymmetry

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 197 to 198 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

ReflectiveSymmetry2D

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 198 to 199 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 199 to 200 of book

ReflectiveSymmetry3D
When the shaded portion is
reflected across all three planes
we get the full structure.
Thus, in this case only 1/8 of the
full model is required. (provided
the loading is also symmetric)

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

AxiSymmetry

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 200 to 201 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

CyclicSymmetry

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 201 to 202 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

RepetitiveSymmetry

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 201 to 202 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Defeaturing

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 202 to 204 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

ModelCleanup

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 204 to 205 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

CoordinateSystems

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 205 to 206 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

CoordinateSystems

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 205 to 206 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

CoordinateSystems

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 206 to 207 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

SubModelling&SubStructuring

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 208 to 209 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 209 to 210 of book

MeshingOverview
Q1: Are linear or quadratic elements more suitable for your model? (Section 6.3.2)
Q2: Are you aware of areas in your mesh that will require a finer mesh due to stress
concentrations? (Section 6.3.3)
Q3: Are you aware of special considerations for meshing the particular element type you are
using? (for beams, shells and solids see section 6.3.3)
Q4: Have you ensured that there are smooth transitions between element sizes or types?
(Section 6.3.4)
Q5: Have you checked your mesh to ensure that there are no excessively distorted elements?
(Section 6.3.5)
Q6: Do you know the difference between a good and a bad quality mesh? (Section 6.3.6)
Q7: Have you performed a convergence test on your mesh? (Section 6.3.7)

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Linear&QuadraticElements

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 210 to 211 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

StressConcentrators

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 212 to 213 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 212 to 213 of book

MeshingBeamElements

Essentially you are meshing a line

Splitting the line up into smaller lines (i.e. line elements)

Smaller elements will be required where bending is more prevalent (e.g. the built in end
of a cantilever).

Beam elements require convergence!

Cross sectional properties must be assigned: section properties, orientation, neutral axis
offset, etc.

Taper is available in some cases and is usually defined as a cross sectional property

See case study B and case study C.

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

MeshingShellElements

You must generate a midplane surface if you

are using a solid model

Mapped meshing with quads is preferable to

free meshes and/or triangular elements.

Make sure you check the direction of shell

normals particularly if you are using
pressure loads!

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 213 to 214 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 213 to 214 of book

MeshingSolidElements

Mapped mesh bricks are preferable to tetrahedrons.

Where this is not possible it can be overcome by splitting the volume up into a number of
smaller (more regularly shaped) volumes known as volume segmentation:

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

ChangesinElementSize

We always want a gradual change from large to small

Sudden changes will result in artificial stress concentrations

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 214 to 215 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 214 to 215 of book

ChangesinElementType

Watch out for inconsistencies at the interface between different element types!

Loads may not be transferred between different types and artificial mechanisms (such as
hinges) or rigid body motion may occur.

Example: 3DShell joins 3DSolid shells can rotate/bend, solids cannot result is a hinge at
the ShellSolid interface!

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

ElementShape&Distortion

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 216 to 217 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

WhatMakesaGoodQualityMesh?

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 218 to 219 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Pages 220 to 221 of book

Mappedvs FreeMeshing
Requirements for Mapped Meshing
Areas:
Can have 3 or 4 sides no more.
You can force this in some cases.
Volumes:
6 sides brick shaped
5 sides wedge or prism shaped
4 sides pyramid shaped

Remember
You can split an area or volume up
into a number of smaller shapes in
order to allow for mapped meshing
(volume segmentation)

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

MeshConvergence

UncertaintyintheFEmodel:
Utotal =Ugeom +Umaterial +Uloads/bcs + Umesh

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 221 to 222 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

MeshConvergence

UncertaintyintheFEmodel:
Utotal =Ugeom +Umaterial +Uloads/bcs + Umesh

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 221 to 222 of book

Chapter 6: Modelling & Meshing

Summary of Chapter 6:
After completing chapter 6, you should:

be able to simplify your model by using a beam assumption, planar

assumption, thin shell assumption, or any combination of these, where
appropriate.
be able to recognise and simplify your model using the inherent
symmetry in the problem.
understand the concepts of model defeaturing and cleanup and be able
to appropriately apply these concepts.
understand different coordinate systems and how models can be built
and/or analysed in these systems.
understand the concepts of submodelling and substructuring and be
able to appropriately apply them to your FE model.
understand the various factors that contribute to the accuracy of a finite
element mesh and understand the concept of mesh convergence and be
able to carry out a mesh convergence test on your FE model.

Bryan Mac Donald/Glasnevin Publishing 2007-2011

Pages 224 to 225 of book