Beam Subjected to Bending

The first step is to simplify the problem. Whenever you are trying out a new analysis type, you need
something (i e analytical solution or experimental data) to compare the results to. This way you can be sure
that you've gotten the correct analysis type, units, scale factors, etc.
The simplified version that will be used for this problem is that of a cantilever beam shown in the following
figure:

Preprocessing: Defining the Problem

1. Give the Simplified Version a Title (such as 'Verification Model').
Utility Menu > File > Change Title
2. Enter Key points
For this simple example, these key points are the ends of the beam.
o We are going to define 2 key points for the simplified structure as given in the following
table
Key coordinate
point x y z
1 0 0 0
2 50 0 0
0
o From the 'ANSYS Main Menu' select: Preprocessor > Modeling > Create > Key points >
In Active CS
3. Form Lines
The two key points must now be connected to form a bar using a straight line.
o Select: Preprocessor > Modeling> Create > Lines > Lines > Straight Line.
o Pick key point #1 (i.e. click on it). It will now be marked by a small yellow box.
o Now pick key point #2. A permanent line will appear.
o When you're done, click on 'OK' in the 'Create Straight Line' window.
4. Define the Type of Element
It is now necessary to create elements on this line.
o From the Preprocessor Menu, select: Element Type > Add/Edit/Delete.
o Click on the 'Add...' button. The following window will appear:
 o For this example, we will use the 3D elastic straight pipe element as selected in the above
figure. Select the element shown and click 'OK'. You should see 'Type 1 PIPE16' in the
'Element Types' window.
o Click on the 'Options...' button in the 'Element Types' dialog box. The following window will
appear:

o Click and hold the K6 button (second from the bottom), and select 'Include Output' and click
'OK'. This gives us extra force and moment output.
o Click on 'Close' in the 'Element Types' dialog box and close the 'Element Type' menu.
5. Define Geometric Properties
We now need to specify geometric properties for our elements:
o In the Preprocessor menu, select Real Constants > Add/Edit/Delete
o Click Add... and select 'Type 1 PIPE16' (actually it is already selected). Click on 'OK'.
o Enter the following geometric properties:
• Outside diameter OD: 25
• Wall thickness TKWALL: 2
This defines an outside pipe diameter of 25mm and a wall thickness of 2mm.
o Click on 'OK'.
o 'Set 1' now appears in the dialog box. Click on 'Close' in the 'Real Constants' window.
6. Element Material Properties
You then need to specify material properties:
o In the 'Preprocessor' menu select Material Props > Material Models...
o Double click Structural > Linear > Elastic and select 'Isotropic' (double click on it)
 o Close the 'Define Material Model Behavior' Window.
We are going to give the properties of Aluminum. Enter the following field:
EX 70000
PRXY 0.33
o Set these properties and click on 'OK'.
7. Mesh Size
o In the Preprocessor menu select Meshing > Size Cntrls > ManualSize > Lines > All Lines
o In the size 'SIZE' field, enter the desired element length. For this example we want an
element length of 2cm, therefore, enter '20' (i.e 20mm) and then click 'OK'. Note that we have
not yet meshed the geometry; we have simply defined the element sizes.
(Alternatively, we could enter the number of divisions we want in the line. For an element
length of 2cm, we would enter 25 [ie 25 divisions]).
8. Mesh
Now the frame can be meshed.
o In the 'Preprocessor' menu select Meshing > Mesh > Lines and click 'Pick All' in the 'Mesh
Lines' Window
9. Saving Your Work
Utility Menu > File > Save as.... Select the name and location where you want to save your file.
Solution Phase: Assigning Loads and Solving
1. Define Analysis Type
o From the Solution Menu, select 'Analysis Type > New Analysis'.
o Ensure that 'Static' is selected and click 'OK'.
2. Apply Constraints
o In the Solution menu, select Define Loads > Apply > Structural > Displacement > On
Key points
o Select the left end of the rod (Key point 1) by clicking on it in the Graphics Window and
click on 'OK' in the 'Apply U,ROT on KPs' window.
o This location is fixed which means that all translational and rotational degrees of freedom
(DOFs) are constrained. Therefore, select 'All DOF' by clicking on it and enter '0' in the
Value field and click 'OK'.
3. Apply Loads
As shown in the diagram, there is a vertically downward load of 100N at the end of the bar
o In the Structural menu, select Force/Moment > on Key points.
o Select the second Key point (right end of bar) and click 'OK' in the 'Apply F/M' window.
o Click on the 'Direction of force/mom' at the top and select FY.
o Enter a value of -100 in the 'Force/moment value' box and click 'OK'.
o The force will appear in the graphics window as a red arrow.
The applied loads and constraints should now appear as shown below.
 4. Solving the System
We now tell ANSYS to find the solution:
o Solution > Solve > Current LS
Post processing: Viewing the Results
1. Hand Calculations
Now, since the purpose of this exercise was to verify the results - we need to calculate what we
should find.
Deflection:

The maximum deflection occurs at the end of the rod and was found to be 6.2mm as shown above.
Stress:

The maximum stress occurs at the base of the rod and was found to be 64.9MPa as shown above
(pure bending stress).
2. Results Using ANSYS
Deformation
o From the Main Menu select General Postproc from the 'ANSYS Main Menu'. In this menu
you will find a variety of options, the two which we will deal with now are 'Plot Results' and
'List Results'
o Select Plot Results > Deformed Shape.
o Select 'Def + undef edge' and click 'OK' to view both the deformed and the un deformed
object.
 o Observe the value of the maximum deflection in the upper left hand corner (shown here
surrounded by a blue border for emphasis). This is identical to that obtained via hand
calculations.
Deflection
For a more detailed version of the deflection of the beam,
o From the 'General Postproc' menu select Plot results > Contour Plot > Nodal Solution.
o Select 'DOF solution' and 'USUM'. Leave the other selections as the default values. Click
'OK'.

o You may want to have a more useful scale, which can be accomplished by going to the
Utility Menu and selecting Plot Controls > Style > Contours > Uniform Contours
o The deflection can also be obtained as a list as shown below. General Postproc > List
Results > Nodal Solution ... select 'DOF Solution' and 'ALL DOFs' from the lists in the 'List
Nodal Solution' window and click 'OK'. This means that we want to see a listing of all
translational and rotational degrees of freedom from the solution. If we had only wanted to
see the displacements for example, we would have chosen 'ALL Us' instead of 'ALL DOFs'.
 o Are these results what you expected? Again, the maximum deflection occurs at node 2, the
right end of the rod. Also note that all the rotational and translational degrees of freedom
were constrained to zero at node 1.
o If you wanted to save these results to a file, use the mouse to go to the 'File' menu (at the
upper left-hand corner of this list window) and select 'Save as'.
Stresses
For line elements (ie beams, spars, and pipes) you will need to use the Element Table to gain access
to derived data (ie stresses, strains).
o From the General Postprocessor menu select Element Table > Define Table...
o Click on 'Add...'

o As shown above, in the 'Item, Comp' boxes in the above window, select 'Stress' and 'von
Mises SEQV'
o Click on 'OK' and close the 'Element Table Data' window.
o Plot the Stresses by selecting Plot Elem Table in the Element Table Menu
o The following window will appear. Ensure that 'SEQV' is selected and click 'OK'
 o If you changed the contour intervals for the Displacement plot to "User Specified" you may
need to switch this back to "Auto calculated" to obtain new values for VMIN/VMAX.
Utility Menu > PlotCtrls > Style > Contours > Uniform Contours...

Again, select more appropriate intervals for the contour plot

o List the Stresses
 From the 'Element Table' menu, select 'List Elem Table'
 From the 'List Element Table Data' window which appears ensure 'SEQV' is
highlighted
 Click 'OK'
Note that a maximum stress of 64.914 MPa occurs at the fixed end of the beam as predicted
analytically.
Bending Moment Diagrams
To further verify the simplified model, a bending moment diagram can be created. First, let's look at
how ANSYS defines each element. Pipe 16 has 2 nodes; I and J, as shown in the following image.

To obtain the bending moment for this element, the Element Table must be used. The Element Table
contains most of the data for the element including the bending moment data for each element at
Node I and Node J. First, we need to obtain the bending moment data.
o General Postproc > Element Table > Define Table... . Click 'Add...'.
o In the window,
AA Enter IMoment as the 'User label for item' - this will give a name to the data
AA Select 'By sequence num' in the Item box
AA Select 'SMISC' in the first Comp box
DA Enter SMISC,6 in the second Comp box
AA Click 'OK'
This will save all of the bending moment data at the left hand side (I side) of each element.
Now we need to find the bending moment data at the right hand side (J side) of each element.
o Again, click 'Add...' in the 'Element Table Data' window.
AA Enter JMoment as the 'User label for item' - again, this will give a name to the
data
AA Same as above
AA Same as above
DA For step D, enter SMISC,12 in the second Comp box
AA Click 'OK'
o Click 'Close' in the 'Element Table Data' window and close the 'Element Table' Menu. Select
Plot Results > Contour Plot > Line Elem Res...

o From the 'Plot Line-Element Results' window, select 'IMOMENT' from the pull down menu
for LabI, and 'JMOMENT' from the pull down menu for LabJ. Click 'OK'. Note again that
you can modify the intervals for the contour plot.
 Now, you can double check these solutions analytically. Note that the line between the I and J
point is a linear interpolation.
o Before the explanation of the above steps, enter help pipe16 in the command line as shown
below and then hit enter.

o Briefly read the ANSYS documentation which appears, pay particular attention to the Tables
near the end of the document (shown below).
Table 1. PIPE16 Item, Sequence Numbers, and Definitions for the ETABLE Commands
node I

name item e Definition

MFORX SMISC 1 Member
MFORY SMISC 2 forces at
MFORZ SMISC 3 the node
MMOMX SMISC 4 Member
MMOMY SMISC 5 moments at
MMOMZ SMISC 6 the node
Note that SMISC 6 (which we used to obtain the values at node I) correspond to MMOMZ -
the Member moment for node I. The value of 'e' varies with different Element Types,
therefore you must check the ANSYS Documentation files for each element to determine the
appropriate SMISC corresponding to the plot you wish to generate.