3_TRIPLATE

(Plane Stress Problem – Triangular Plate)

The triangular plate

is made to withstand
a tensile force on
each side face. The
thickness of the
plate is 10mm

Material: Structural
steel

Static Structural **

A3: Geometry (Right click) > Design Modeler ** (Starts up Design Modeler)
 Millimeter [OK] XYPlane > Look At Face/Plane/Sketch

Sketching > Draw > Polyline Right click > Closed End

Constraints > Equal length > Select 2 segments

Constraints > Equal length > Select other 2 segments (3 equal length sides)

Dimensions > Horizontal Zoom to Fit

Dimensions > Display > Name  Value 

1/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
Sketching > Draw > Arc by Center

Modify > Replicate r = 120 f=2

Select the arc > Right click > End/Set Paste Handle > Select top vertex (Point 1) P

Right click > Rotate by r degrees * ) Click left corner P

Right click > Rotate by r degrees ( * Click bottom corner P

Right click > End (or Esc)

Modify > Trim Ignore Axis  > Trim unnecessary parts

Constraints > Equal Length

Constraints > Symmetry > Select Horizontal Axis > Select upper and lower arcs

Dimensions > Vertical Define dimension of segment, 40 mm

Modify > Offset > Sweep select all segments (Hold left mouse button and select)

Right click > End Selection/Place offset > Click inside

Right click > End (or Esc)

Dimension > Horizontal

Note that Corners must be coincident

2/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
Modify > Fillet > r = 10 mm > Click 3 corners of the inside triangle

Dimension > Radius > Select Fillet > R = 10 mm

(This action turns a “weak” dimension to a “strong” one. The fillets turn blue now.)

 ISO View

Extrude > Select [Sketch1] > Apply

Details of Extrude1 > FD1, Depth = 10 mm
Generate

File > Export > Define Location, File Name, and Type (STEP *.stp) > Save
(3_TRIPLATE_geo.stp created)

File > Close DesignModeler (DM)

File > Save As… > 3_TRIPLATE_geo (3_TRIPLATE_geo.stp created)

A3: Geometry** (Starts up DesignModeler)

Outline Tree > Extrude (Right click) > Delete

Outline Tree > XYPlane > Sketch1*

Concept > Surfaces from Sketches > Select [Sketch1] > Apply
Generate

(Leave thickness 0 mm for now; we will specify it in Mechanical. A 2D surface Body is

generated.)

File > Close DesignModeler (DM)

A3: Geometry*
Properties of Schematic A3: Geometry >Advanced Geometry Options > 16-Analysis Type=2D

A4: Model** (Starts up Mechanical)

Units > Metric (mm, kg, N, s, mV, mA)

Outline Tree > Model (A4) > Geometry > Surface Body*
Details of “Surface Body” > Definition > Thickness = 10 mm
> Material > Assignment = Structural Steel
Mesh*
Mesh > Generate Mesh
Details of “Mesh” > Statistics > Nodes=506 Elements=146

Static Structural (Right click) > Insert > Pressure

Control+Select 3 edges of the Surface Body > Apply
Magnitude = -50 MPa (+ pressure pushes body)
(– pressure pulls away from body)
3/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
Solution (Right click) > Solve

Read the Warning message

Solution (Right click) > Insert > Deformation > Total

Solution (Right click) > Insert > Stress > Equivalent (von-Mises)
Solution (Right click) > Evaluate all results

Total Deformation* Max=0,021131 mm Min=7,2758e-5 mm

Equivalent Stress* Max=56,022 MPa Min=18,913 MPa

Total Equivalent
Mesh size Nodes Elements
Deformation Stress
Automatic 506 146 0,032618 54,064
7 mm 1038 310 0,032616 53,975
3 mm 4787 1515 0,032616 56,537

File > Close Mechanical

File > Save As… > 3_TRIPLATE_final
File > Exit WB

Start WB
Open 3_TRIPLATE_geo

A3: Geometry** (Starts up DesignModeler)

Outline Tree > Extrude (Right click) > Delete

Outline Tree > XYPlane > Sketch1*

Concept > Surfaces from Sketches > Select [Sketch1] > Apply
Generate

Look at Z view

Tools > Symmetry > Select ZXPlane (from the Outline Tree) > Apply > Generate
(Half of the model is removed.)

New Plane
Details of Plane4 > Base Plane = ZX Plane
Transform 1 (RMB) = Rotate about Global Z
FD 1, Value 1 = 60
Reverse Normal/Z Axis = Yes
Generate

Tools > Symmetry > Select Plane4 (from the Outline Tree) > Apply > Generate
(Half of the model is removed again.)

4/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
File > Close DesignModeler (DM)
A3: Geometry*
Properties of Schematic A3: Geometry >Advanced Geometry Options > 16-Analysis Type=2D

A4: Model** (Starts up Mechanical)

Outline Tree > Model (B4) > Geometry > Surface Body*
Details of “Surface Body” > Thickness = 10 mm
Material Assignment = Structural Steel
Mesh*
Details of “Mesh” > Relevance = 100
Sizing > Use Advanced Size Function = Off
Relevance Center = Fine
Mesh > Generate Mesh

Details of “Mesh” > Statistics > Nodes=4014 Elements=1242

Static Structural (Right click) > Insert > Pressure

Select Right edge of the Surface Body > Apply
Magnitude = -50 MPa (+ pressure pushes body)
(– pressure pulls away from body)

Solution (Right click) > Insert > Deformation > Total

Solution (Right click) > Insert > Stress > Equivalent (von-Mises)
Solution (Right click) > Solve

Total Deformation* Max=0,018403 mm Min=0,0018681 mm

Equivalent Stress* Max=57,022 MPa Min=18,932 MPa

File > Close Mechanical

File > Save As… > 3_TRIPLATE_sym_final
File > Exit WB

References:
Huei-Huang Lee; Finite Element Simulations with ANSYS Workbench 14, SDC Publications,
2012. (p.65 & p.104)
https://www.slideshare.net/PremPrakashPandey1/finite-element-simulations-with-ansys-
workbench-2012

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
The Relevance option allows you to control the fineness of the mesh for the entire model.

To indicate a preference toward high speed (-100) or high accuracy (+100) solutions, use the slider
located in the Details View next to the header details, Relevance. The finer the mesh, the more
accurate the result. A coarse mesh is less accurate. Remember, however, a finer mesh uses more
elements, more time, and ultimately, more system resources.

5/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
https://www.sharcnet.ca/Software/Ansys/17.0/en-us/help/wb_msh/ds_Relevance.html

Equivalent (von Mises) Stress

The von Mises stress is often used in determining whether an isotropic and ductile metal will yield
when subjected to a complex loading condition. This is accomplished by calculating the von Mises
stress and comparing it to the material's yield stress, which constitutes the von Mises Yield Criterion.
The objective is to develop a yield criterion for ductile metals that works for any complex 3-D loading
condition, regardless of the mix of normal and shear stresses. The von Mises stress does this by boiling
the complex stress state down into a single scalar number that is compared to a metal's yield strength,
also a single scalar numerical value determined from a uniaxial tension test (because that's the easiest)
on the material in a lab.
It should be noted that it is an empirical process, with inherent error and deviations. In fact, there is
no hard & fast rule saying that metals must yield according to von Mises yield criteria. It is as much a
coincidence as anything. Nevertheless, it does work very well and remains the method of choice a full
century after it was first proposed.
Equivalent stress is related to the principal stresses by the equation:

where σ1, σ2 and σ3 are the principal stresses.

Maximum, Middle, and Minimum Principle Stresses
From elasticity theory, an infinitesimal volume of material at an arbitrary point on or inside the solid
body can be rotated such that only normal stresses remain and all shear stresses are zero. The three
normal stresses that remain are called the principle stresses:
σ1 - Maximum
σ2 - Middle
σ3 - Minimum
The principle stresses are always ordered such that σ1 > σ2 > σ3 .

Von Mises stress is considered to be a safe haven for

design engineers. Using this information an engineer can
say his design will fail, if the maximum value of Von Mises
stress induced in the material is more than strength of the
material. It works well for most cases, especially when the
material is ductile in nature.
1D 3D

http://www.continuummechanics.org/vonmisesstress.html
http://www.learnengineering.org/2012/12/what-is-von-mises-stress.html
https://www.sharcnet.ca/Software/Ansys/17.0/en-us/help/wb_sim/ds_Equiv_Stress.html
6/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
https://www.sharcnet.ca/Software/Ansys/16.2.3/en-us/help/wb_msh/msh_msh_ASF_Intro.html

2D Plane Stress and Plane Strain Problems

In general, the stresses and strains at any point in a structure consist of six independent components;
Stresses: x , y , z , xy , yz , zx
Strains: x , y , z ,  xy ,  yz ,  zx
Under certain conditions, the state of stresses and strains can
be simplified. A 3-D stress analysis can, therefore, be reduced
to a 2-D analysis. There are two general types of models
involved in this 2-D analysis: plane stress and plane strain.
Plane Stress
In the plane stress case, any stress component related to the z direction is zero, that is,
z  yz  zx  0 ( z  0)

A thin planar structure with constant thickness and loading within the plane of the structure (xy-
plane) can be regarded as a plane stress case.

Plane Strain
In the plane strain case, any strain component related to the z direction is zero, that is,
z   yz   zx  0 (z  0)

A long structure with a uniform cross section and transverse loading along its thickness (z-direction),
such as a tunnel or a dam, can be regarded a plane strain case.

PLANE 183 Element

PLANE183 is a higher order 2-D, 8-node or 6-node element having two degrees of freedom at each
node: translations in the nodal x and y directions. It has quadratic displacement behavior and is well
suited to modeling irregular meshes (such as those produced by various CAD/CAM systems). The
element may be used as a plane element (plane stress, plane strain) or as an axisymmetric element.

7/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE
This element has plasticity, hyperelasticity, creep, stress stiffening, large deflection, and large strain
capabilities. See PLANE183 in the Mechanical APDL Theory Reference for more details.

8/7
ME472 – 2019 3_TRIPLATE