School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics

301022 Advanced Computer Aided Engineering

Practical Session - 1: One-dimensional (1-D) FEA

(Week 04)

Objectives:
• Learn how to use ANSYS Workbench to create one-dimensional (1-D) FE model

Activities:

• Enhance understanding on solid mechanics and bar element method

• Use ANSYS Workbench to do a one-dimensional (1-D) FEA of a cantilever truss

Note:
• You should be able to finish the practice problem during the practical session
individually and show the results to the computer lab supervisor.
Practice 1: Problem discription

Considering an assembly of two bar elements with square section made of different materials, please
determine the nodal displacements, element stresses, and reaction force.

Main steps of creating models using ANSYS Workbench.

Now, let’s start!

Step 1. Run ANSYS Workbench.

Click windows ‘Start’ bottom, type in ‘Workbench’ in the searching bar, then you can find ‘ANSYS
Workbench’ on the top of this window. Then double click ‘ANSYS Workbench’.

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Step 2. Start with creating geometry of the model.

Drag the icon of Geometry under Component Systems to a new window in Project Schematic
Step 3. Right click ‘Geometry’ and select ‘New DesignModeler Geometry’ as show in the following
figure.

A window will pop up, as shown below. You can find some import information of the windows in the
figures below.
 Tree outline

Graphic area

Details view
area

look at plane

Rotate
Selection filters
New sketch move
points
Generate Zoom
edges
zomm to fit
faces
bodies

Step 4. Change the length unit of the model from Meter (by default) to Inch.

Step 5. Click on XY Plane and add a new sketch.

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Step 6. Now, we need to create some constructing points. In Sketching, click Draw  Construction Point.
Then click origin of the x and y axes for the first one and create other 2 new points along the positive
direction of the x axis one by one.

P1 P2 P3

Step 7. Click Dimensions then define two horizontal dimensions between the three points and type in the
value of dimensions as H1=20 and H2=20, respectively.
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Step 8. Back to modelling and click Concept  Line From Points. Keeping pressing “Ctrl” and click start
point and finish point. Click “Apply” at Point Segments with “add materials” and finally generate Line 1.

Keep pressing “Ctrl” and click

start point and finish point 3

Step 9: Repeat last step to create Line 2 with operation of “Add Frozen”
Then we can get this window like this:

Step 10. Now we have to assign the cross section property to each lines. Got to Concept  Cross Section
 Rectangular. Enter the value of 2 in for B & H as the width and height of the cross section. Change the
name of the sketch for this cross section name to ‘Large’.

Change the name to

“Large”

Type the values of

B and H

Step 11: Repeat Step 10 to create the other one. Input the values of 1.5 in for for B & H. Change the sketch
name for this cross section as ‘Small’. Then we can get the following figure. You should have two lines,
two cross sections and two line bodies.
Step 12: Click Line Body 1 to assign the cross section with ‘Large’.

Step 13: Repeat Step 11 to assign Line Body 2 with the ‘Small’ cross section.
Step 14: Form an integrated part – Form New Part
The Geometry has been created! Close this “DM”window and save you model.

Step 15: Drag Analysis systems > Static Structural to the new box in red, as shown below:

Step 16: Drag A2 Geometry on the top of B3 Geometry. Then, the Geometry of B3 is linked with the one
we have Created in A2.
Step 17: Double click Engineering Data. Then, create a new material called “Softstuff” with a Young’s
modulus of 10E6 psi. Click the blank area to type in “Softstuff”. Double click the Linear Elastic >
Isotropic Elasticity. Change unit of Young’s modulus to psi and input the value of 10E6.

1 Type in the name of this new material

2 Double click Isotropic Elasticity

Input the Young’s modulus and Poisson’s Ratio

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Step 18: Repeat last step and add other new material “hardstuff” with the Young’s Modulus of 15E6 psi
(you could assume Poisson’s ratio has any value as it is not used in this analysis but you could use 0.3 as a
commonly used value).

Step 19: Right click B4 “Model” and select Edit. A new window “Mechincal” as below is opened.
Step 20: Click the first line body and change the material from structural steel to “hardstuff” and repeat
this step to change the second line body’s material to “softstuff”.

Step 21: Right click Mesh and click Generate Mesh.

Then, the window then should be like this:

We can always change the element size here, but if

we changed it, we have to right click Mesh and
click Update!!

Step 22: Right click Static Structure and insert Fixed Support. Make sure we are in point selection mode.
Click the left point and apply.
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Step 23: Right click Static Structure and insert a Force. Click the right point and apply. Select Define by
Components. Input 20000 in the x direction.

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Step 24: Right click solution and insert Directional Deformation. Click left line and click ‘apply’, choose
edge and the first element to apply. Repeat to insert Directional Deformation for right line.
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Step 25: Right click solution and insert force reaction from probe. Choose Fixed Reaction as Boundary
Condition.

Step 26: Click .

Congratulation!! All done!

 Save the model to your folder.

 In the solution, you can click to select the variables of your interests for data processing, for examples,
as shown below:
a) Total deformation

b) Reaction forces
 Practice 2: Problem discription

Recall the question in Tute notes 2, a cantilever truss in the figure below was constructed by a builder to
support a winch and cable system (not shown) to lift and lower construction materials. The truss

members are nominal 2 × 4 southern yellow pine (actual dimensions 1.75 in. × 3.5 in.; E = 2 × 106 psi).

Please determine:

a. The finite element equations for this system

b. The global displacement components of all unconstrained nodes
c. Axial stress in each member
d. Reaction forces at constrained nodes
e. Check the equilibrium conditions

In Tute 2, we used matrix method to solve this problem. Now, please try to use ANSYS Workbench to
solve the problem!
Main steps of FEA using ANSYS Workbench

Step 1: Run “ANSYS Workbench”. Drag “Static Structural” under “Analysis Systems” to the
window of Project Schematic.

Step 2: Right click “Geometry” (A3) to access DesignModeler .

Step 3: Change the units to “Inch”.

Step 4: Create a New Sketch in XY Plane.

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Step 5: In Sketching, create five Construction Points as shown in the following figure. Mark all horizontal
and vertical dimensions between these five points and change the values of the dimensions as shown in the
figure below.

Step 6: Use “Concept” → “Lines From Points” to create truss elements. Keep pressing “Ctrl”, then
click start point and finish point. Click “Apply” in “Point Segments”. After this, click “Generate” to
create this line.
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Keep pressing “Ctrl” and click

start point and finish point 3

Step 7: Repeat last step to create lines 2-6 with the “Operation” of “Add Frozen”

After this step, you should have 6 Parts and 6 Bodies.

Line 6
Line 4
Line 5
Line 3

Line 2

Line 1

Step 8: Create truss cross section. Click “Concept” → “Cross Section”→ “Rectangular”. Input the
values of “B” and “H” as 1.75 in and 3.5 in, respectively.
Step 9: Select all the Line Bodies and assign the Cross Section “Rect1” to the lines.

Click the first “Line Body”, and then press “Ctrl” and click
other “Line Bodies”

Make sure all the “Line Bodies” are

highlighted.

Step10: Form an integrated part. Select all the “Line Bodies”, right click and choose “Form New Part”.
 Then we should get the window like the figure below. Close the “DesignModeler” window to quit.

After this step, we should have only 1 Part with 6 Bodies.

Step 11:Create New Material. Double click “Engineering Data” (A2), then we should get a window like
below:
 4 When we finish editing “Engineering Data”,
we have to click here to close this window.

1 Type in the name of this new material “Truss”

2 Double click Isotropic Elasticity

Input the Young’s Modulus of 2E6 psi and Poisson’s Ratio of 3

0.3

Step 12: Double click “Model” (A4) to open a new “Mechanical” window .

Step 13: Change the meterial to “Truss”. Click “Part” in Outline Tree and then choose “Truss” under
“Assignment” function.
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Step 14: Generate Mesh. Right click “Mesh” and choose “Generate Mesh”.

Then we should have:

Step 15: Insert Boundary Conditions (BCs). Right click “Static Struturcal” then choose “Insert” →
“Displacement”. Select the top left point and click “Apply” at “Geometry” (make sure the Point Section
is on). Change “Define By” to “Components”. Input the X and Y Components values as 0 in and 0
in, respectively.

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Step 16: Repeat Step 15 and insert other Displacement BC at bottom left point.
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Step 17: Apply the force. Right click “Static Structural” → “Insert” → “Force”. Selcet the right point and
click “Apply” at “Geomtry”. Input -500 lbf in Y Component.

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Then, click “Static Structural”, we should have:

Step 18: Insert “Deformation”. Right Click “Solution” then choose “Insert” → “Deformation” → “Total”
Step 19: Insert “Force Reaction”. Right Click “Solution” then choose “Insert” → “Probe”→“Force
Reaction”. Choose “Displacement” at Boundary Condition. Repeat this step, and insert other Force
Reaction and choose “Displacement2” at “Boundary Condition”.

Step 20 Repeat Step 19 and insert “Axial Force” (“Insert”→ “Beam Results” → “Axial Force”).

Step 21: Repeat Step 19 and insert “Beam Tool” (“Insert”→ “Beam Tool” → “Beam Tool”).
Step 22: Click “Solve” and go through solutions.

Step 23: Check solutions. We should get the slutions as shown in the following figures.
Reaction force 1

Reaction Force 2
Deformations

Axial forces
Axial Stresses

Once you finish this finite element analysis of the cantilever truss, you are required to compare the
simulated results inclduing deformations, reactions, axial forces and axial stresses with the results
obtianed usimg MS EXCEL in Part A.