PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.

0 18-1
Lesson 18
Linear Static Analysis for a Beam
of Arbitrary Cross-Section
P
Y
X Z
Objectives:
I Demonstrate the use of beam analysis using an arbitrary
beam cross section.
I Run an MSC/NASTRAN linear static analysis.
I Create an accurate deformation plot of the model.
I Analyze the results.
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Model Description:
The figure below shows an arbitrary beam cross-section. The section
properties will be given to a simple line model of a cantilever beam. The
beam will be fixed at one end while a total load of 100 lbs will be applied
at the other end. Figure 1.1 displays the schematics of the arbitrary beam
cross-section. Table 1.1 below displays all the necessary properties of the
model.
Figure 1.1 - Schematic of an Arbitrary Beam Cross Section
Table 1.1 -Cantilever Beam Properties
Total Length of Beam: 1000 inches
Elastic Modulus: 30E+06 psi
Poisson Ratio: 0.33
Total Force on End of Beam: 100 lb
Y
X Z
[90, 25, 0]
[90, 5, 0] [125, 5, 0]
[125, -5, 0]
[90, -5, 0]
[90, -25, 0] [35, -25, 0]
[40, -20, 0] [85, -20, 0]
[40, 20, 0] [85, 20, 0]
[35, 25, 0]
[35, 5, 0]
[35, 5, 0]
[0, 5, 0]
[0, -5, 0]
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-3
Suggested Exercise Steps:
I Create the model using appropriate geometry.
I Apply arbitrary beam properties to a cantilever beam.
I Prepare the model for a linear static analysis (SOL 101).
I Generate an input file and submit it to the MSC/NASTRAN
solver for a linear static analysis.
I Generate a deformation.
I Review the results.
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Exercise Procedure:
1. Create a new database called prob1.db.
In the New Model Preference form set the following:
Whenever possible click K Auto Execute (turn off).
Patran will calculate the properties for an arbitrary cross-section. The
cross-section can be defined by a trimmed surface, and the trimmed
surface can either be imported (through Iges for example) or it can be
created directly in Patran. For this example we are going to actually
create the trimmed surface that represents our cross-section.
2. Create the cross-section geometry.
Start with the outer curves of the cross-section first.
File/New...
New Database Name prob1
OK
Tolerance:
N Default
Analysis Code: MSC/NASTRAN
Analysis Type: Structural
OK
N Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Point
Method: XYZ
Point Coordinates List [0, 5, 0]
Apply
Point Coordinates List [0, -5, 0]
Apply
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-5
To better view the points just created click on the following:
Continue the same procedure for the remaining points of the geometry
using the following table as a guide.
Table 1.2 - Point Coordinates List for Beam Cross-Section
You will need to click on the icon below to aid in creating the
necessary curves.
Now create the curves using the previously created points.
Point ID Point Coordinates Point ID Point Coordinates
3 [35, -5, 0] 10 [90, 25, 0]
4 [35, -25, 0] 11 [35, 25, 0]
5 [90, -25, 0] 12 [35, 5, 0]
6 [90, -5, 0] 13 [40, 20, 0]
7 [125, -5, 0] 14 [40, -20, 0]
8 [125, 5, 0] 15 [85, -20, 0]
9 [90, 5, 0] 16 [85, 20, 0]
N Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: PWL
Point List Point 1:12, 1
Apply
Point List Point 13:16, 13
Apply
Point Size
Show Labels
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Your resulting cross section geometry on your screen should look
similar to the following figure.
Figure 1.2 - Connectivities of Cross-Section
Now create the inner and outer curve loops of the cross-section by
using the Chain method.
When a message box appears and asks if you wish to delete the
original curves, click on Yes.
N Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: Chain
I Delete Constituent Curves
Curve List Curve 1:12
Apply
(Select the outer curves of cross section.)
Yes
Curve List Curve 13:16
Apply
(Select the inner curves of cross section.)
Y
1
2 3
4 5
6
7
8 9
10
11
12
13
14 15
16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
X Z
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-7
When a message box appears and asks if you wish to delete the
original curves, click on Yes.
To create a surface out of the curves you will have to use the Trimmed
method.
When a message box appears and asks if you wish to delete the
original curves, click on Yes for each loop.
Turn off the labels and decrease the point size by clicking the
following, respectively.
For clarity, create a group for the finished cross-section
representation.
Yes
N Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Surface
Method: Trimmed
Option: Planar
I Use All Edge Vertices
I Delete Outer Loop
Outer Loop List Curve 17
I Delete Inner Loops
Inner Loop List Curve 18
Apply
Yes
Yes
Group/Create...
Action: Create
Point Size
Hide Labels
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Now we will create the actual cantilever beam that we are going to
analyze. The beam is going to be modeled by 1D elements, and to do
this we are going to mesh a line entity.
3. Create the material property for the model.
New Group Name cross_section
I Make Current
Group Contents: Add Entity Selection
Entity Selection Surface 1
Apply
(Select the cross section surface.)
Cancel
N Geometry
Action: Create
Object: Curve
Method: XYZ
Refer. Coordinate Frame Coord 0
Vector Coordinates List <1000, 0, 0>
Origin Coordinates List [0, 50, 0]
N Materials
Action: Create
Object: Isotropic
Method: Manual Input
Material Name mat_1
Input Properties...
Elastic Modulus = 30E6
Poisson Ratio= 0.33
Apply
Cancel
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-9
4. Create the element property for the model by using the
arbitrary beam cross-section.
When a message box appears and asks if you wish to continue with the
Associate Beam Section toggle on, click on Yes.
To associate our arbitrary beam cross-section to our line curve you
must first click on the following icon.
The surface you select is the surface that represents the actual cross-
section (the trimmed surface created in Step 2).
N Properties
Action: Create
Dimension: 1D
Type: Beam
Property Set Name prop_1
Input Properties...
I Associate Beam Section
Yes
Action: Create
Object: Arbitrary Shape
Method: Boundary Loops
New Section Name section_1
Option: Select Surface
Select Surface Surface 1
OK
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The Point matrix in the Beam Library form should now display the
coordinates of the arbitrary beam cross-section.
Clicking on the Calculate/Display toggle in the Beam Library form
should result in the computer displaying the Section Properties of the
arbitrary beam.
Alternatively, the results given in the Section Properties can also be
obtained through hand calculations. If comparing the hand
calculations to the computer results was desired, tables 1.4 and 1.5
display the results.
Figure 1.3 - Simplified Cross-Section
Table 1.4 - Hand Calculations for Arbitrary Beam
Calculate/Display
Section Base Height Area I
1
I
2
x
cg
y
cg ax
2
ay
2
1 40 10 400 3333 53333 -43 0 722500 0
2 5 15 75 1406 156 -25 13 46875 11719
3 55 5 275 573 69323 0 23 0 139219
4 5 15 75 1406 156 25 13 46875 11719
5 40 10 400 3333 53333 43 0 722500 0
6 5 15 75 1406 156 25 -13 46875 11719
7 55 5 275 573 69323 0 -23 0 139219
8 5 15 75 1406 156 -25 -13 46875 11719
SUMS 1650 13438 245938 1632500 325313
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-11
The following equations were used to obtain the total moments of
inertia,
Using the above table and performing the above calculations gives the
following total moments of inertias.
Table 1.5 - Total Moments of Inertia for Cross-Section
Compare total I
1
, I
2
and Area displayed in the Section Properties to
what you get with hand calculations.
After viewing the new Section Properties finish with the Beam Library
form by clicking on the following:
In the Input Properties form, enter the following:
We are now done with the arbitrary beam cross-section. From this
point on our attention will focus on the beam analysis. Since the
arbitrary beam cross-section is no longer necessary, we will create a
group for the cantilever beam and unpost the cross_section group.
Total Section
I
1
338750
I
2
1878438
Apply
Cancel
Material Name m:mat_1
[Section Name] section_1
Bar Orientation <0, 1, 0>
OK
Select Members Curve 1
Add
Apply
I
n
I
n
Ad
2
+

=
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First create a new group for the beam curve.
5. Mesh the beam curve with five elements.
You may now display the arbitrary beam in 3D by doing the
following:
Click on the following icon to get a better perspective of the model.
Group/Create...
Action: Create
New Group Name beam
I Make Current
I Unpost All Other Groups
Group Contents: Add Entity Selection
Entity Selection Curve 1
Apply

Cancel
N Finite Elements
Create
Object: Mesh
Type: Curve
Global Edge Length 20
Element Topology Bar 2
Curve List Curve 1
Apply
Display/Load/BC/Elem. Props...
Beam Display 3D: Full-Span
Apply

Iso 1 View
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-13
Do the following to regain the 1D curve.
Click on the following icon.
6. Now create the boundary conditions for the model.
Create the degree of freedom constraint for the model.
Beam Display 1D: Line
Apply

Cancel
N Loads/BCs
Action: Create
Object: Displacement
Type: Nodal
New Set Name constraint_1
Input Data...
Translations < T1 T2 T3 > < 0, 0, 0 >
Rotations < R1 R2 R3 > < 0, 0, 0 >
OK
Select Application Region...
Geometry Filter N FEM
Select Nodes
Node 1
Add
(Select end node on the left.)
OK
Apply
Front View
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7. Now create the load at the free end of the beam.
To clean up the display, use the following main menu icons:
8. Generate an input file for the analysis.
Click on the Analysis radio button on the Top Menu Bar and set up the
analysis as follows:
N Loads/BCs
Action: Create
Object: Force
Type: Nodal
New Set Name load_1
Input Data...
Force <F1 F2 F3> <0, -100, 0>
OK
Select Application Region...
Geometry Filter N FEM
Select Nodes
Node 6
Add
(Select end node on the right.)
OK
Apply
N Analysis
Action: Analyze
Object: Entire Model
Method: Analysis Deck
Job Name prob1
Solution Type...
Solution Type N LINEAR STATIC
Reset Graphics
Refresh Graphics
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-15
Finally click apply from the Analysis form.
An input file called prob1.bdf will be generated. This process of
translating your model into an input file is called the Forward
Translation. The Forward Translation is complete when the Heartbeat
turns green.
OK
Subcase Create...
Available Subcases Default
Output Requests...
Form Type: Basic
Output Requests
Delete
(Select by highlighting.)
Output Requests
Delete
(Select by highlighting.)
OK
Apply
Cancel
Apply
STRESS(SORT1...
SPCFORCES(SORT1...
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Submit the input file for analysis:
9. Submit the input file to MSC/NASTRAN for an analysis.
9a. To submit the MSC/PATRAN .bdf file, find an available
UNIX shell window. At the command prompt enter
nastran prob1.bdf scr=yes. Monitor the analysis using
the UNIX ps command.
9b. To submit the MSC/NASTRAN .dat file, find an
available UNIX shell window and at the command
prompt enter nastran prob1.dat scr=yes. Monitor the
analysis using the UNIX ps command.
10. When the analysis is completed, edit the prob1a.f06 file
and search for the word FATAL. If no matches exist,
search for the word WARNING. Determine whether the
existing WARNING messages indicate any modeling
errors.
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-17
Comparison of Results:
11. Compare the results obtained in the .f06 file with the
results on the following page:
12. This ends the exercise for MSC/NASTRAN
users. MSC/PATRAN Users should proceed to
the next step.
13. Proceed with the Reverse Translation process, that is,
importing the prob1.op2 results file into MSC/PATRAN.
To do this, return to the Analysis form and proceed as
follows:
14. Post process the results from the analysis.
Generate a deformation plot.
Now click on the Select Results icon.
N Analysis
Action: Read Output2
Object: Result Entities
Method: Translate
Select Results File...
Selected Results File: prob1.op2
OK
Apply
N Results
Action: Create
Object: Deformation
Select Result Case(s) Default, Static Subcase
Select Deformation Result Displacements, Translational
Select Results
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Now click on the Plot Options icon.
Your final deformation plot should resemble the following:
Figure 1.4 - Deformation Plot of Model
In order to see the deformation results accurately, set the Scale
Interpretation to True Scale with a Scale Factor of 1.
Click on the Display Attributes icon.
Show As: Component
I YY
(Have YY the only toggle on.)
Coordinate Transformation: None
Scale Factor 1.0
Apply
N True Scale
Scale Factor 1.0
Plot Options
Display Attributes
Lesson 18 Arbitrary Beam
PATRAN 302 Exercise Workbook - Release 8.0 18-19
If you desire to compare the hand calculations to the Nastran
results, the following will demonstrate their similarity.
The equation used to determine the deflection of a cantilever beam
under a load is:
Where P is the load, l is the length of the beam, E is the elastic
modulus and I is the moment of inertia, for this case I=I
1
(Table
1.5). We use I
1
in our case because when we selected the bar
orientation vector <0 1 0> we are bending the beam in plane 1 of
the elements coordinate system.
Referring back to Figure 1.4, the hand calculation and the linear
analysis result from Nastran are exactly the same.
Quit MSC/PATRAN when you have completed this exercise.
I Show Undeformed
Apply

Pl
3
3EI
--------- =
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