BDA 40303

Task Report No. 2

SPACE FRAME STRUCTURE
Nurul Raihan Binti Shahizan
Matrix No: DD110030
October 14, 2014

1 Model/Problem Description
The space frame shown below is loaded by six single point loads of magnitude 20000 N,
25000 N and 30000N and in the negative Z-direction. The frame properties of the
elements are listed in Table 1. There are 3 materials that are going to be used for this
experiment. The material properties are Youngs modulus, E 200 GPa, Poisson ratio 0.3.
The stress distribution is required to be determined. The illustration is shown in Figure 1.

2 Finite Element Model

2.1 Element model
The space frame is modeled as three dimensional truss. The x-y-z plane surface is
modelled using frame/truss elements (line2). The total number of elements is 26
elements. The illustration of the meshing is shown in Figure 2.
The unit used in this model is a consistent SI unit:
E: N/m2, therefore the Youngs Modulus is 200000000000 N/m2
Force: N, the applied force for this case is 20000 N, 25000 N and 30000N

Table 1 : Frame Properties

Figure 1 : Building Structure

2.2 Constraints
To represent a fixed end of the space frame, all nodes at 1, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 18 are
constrained in x axis, y axis and z axis. They are not allowed to move in x axis, using
displx=0. To make sure that the cantilever beam is not moving in y direction, the node is
also restrained in y-axis, using disply=0. Also to make sure that the cantilever beam is not
moving in z direction, the node is also restrained in y-axis, using displz=0.The constraints
can be seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2 : FEM Model

2.3 Loadings
A concentrated load is represented by indicating as a negative direction in z
direction,forcez=20000N at node 4 and 3, forcez=-25000N at node 10 and 9 and
forcez=-30000N at node 15 and 16. Negative value here indicates that the direction is the
opposite of the z-axis.

3 Results and Short Discussion

The displacement results are illustrated in Figure 3. By looking at the magnitude (total)
displacement of the deformed truss , it is clearly shown that the -30000N will be mostly
deformed. The largest displacement is at the tip where a concentrated load is applied. The
displacement is 0.03901. Refer to the table,the total nodes is 44. By referring to the table
the highest displacement magnitude is 0.03559615 ,displacement in Y is 9.61E-05 (Node
17), displacement in X is 0 and displacement in Z is 0.01602362.

Figure 3 : Displacement Magnitude

Load case 1

Field value

Node

Displacement
Magnitude

Displacement
in X

Displacement
in Y

Displacement
in Z

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

0
0
1
1
0
0
5
5
5
5
5
5
10
10
9
9
10

0
0
1
4
5
5
0
0
1
4
5
5
0
0
1
4
5

0
4
5
5
4
0
0
4
5
5
4
0
0
4
5
5
4

0
0.0182379
0.03443541
0.03443541
0.0182379
0
0
0.01807722
0.03204286
0.03204286
0.01807722
0
0
0.01789369
0.03559615
0.03559615
0.01789369

0
-0.01823697
-0.0318537
-0.0318537
-0.01823697
0
0
-0.0180759
-0.03203882
-0.03203882
-0.0180759
0
0
-0.01789193
-0.03225143
-0.03225143
-0.01789193

0
-7.66E-05
6.41E-05
-6.41E-05
7.66E-05
0
0
-8.67E-05
7.49E-05
-7.49E-05
8.67E-05
0
0
-9.61E-05
8.52E-05
-8.52E-05
9.61E-05

0
-0.000167805
0.01308187
0.01308187
-0.000167805
0
0
-0.000200391
-0.000503543
-0.000503543
-0.000200391
0
0
-0.000231805
-0.015064
-0.015064
-0.000231805

18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44

10
0
0
5
5
10
10
2.5
0
2.5
5
7.5
7.5
10
0.5
1
0.5
3
3
5
5
5
7
7
9.5
9
9.5

5
0
5
0
5
0
5
0
2.5
5
2.5
0
5
2.5
0.5
2.5
4.5
1
4
0.5
2.5
4.5
1
4
0.5
2.5
4.5

0
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4.5
5
4.5
5
5
4.5
5
4.5
5
5
4.5
5
4.5

0
0.008836519
0.008836519
0.009853612
0.009853612
0.008516039
0.008516039
0.0182042
0.02063228
0.0182042
0.02238734
0.01804748
0.01804748
0.02048747
0.02549684
0.0373982
0.02549684
0.03323256
0.03323256
0.02523322
0.03564704
0.02523322
0.03395282
0.03395282
0.02573868
0.03900823
0.02573868

0
-0.008799595
-0.008799595
-0.009852545
-0.009852545
-0.008450258
-0.008450258
-0.01815643
-0.02059392
-0.01815643
-0.02238564
-0.01798392
-0.01798392
-0.02040178
-0.02479296
-0.03379155
-0.02479296
-0.03194626
-0.03194626
-0.0252311
-0.03564001
-0.0252311
-0.03214512
-0.03214512
-0.02476312
-0.03430645
-0.02476312

0
0.000802593
-0.000802593
-0.000104756
0.000104756
-0.001050066
0.001050066
-0.001058083
4.45E-14
0.001058083
3.45E-14
0.000808548
-0.000808548
3.13E-14
0.000254188
4.82E-14
-0.000254188
-0.001039378
0.001039378
-3.25E-05
3.74E-14
3.25E-05
0.001110864
-0.001110864
-0.000333614
3.87E-14
0.000333614

0
-8.39E-05
-8.39E-05
-0.000100195
-0.000100195
-0.000115902
-0.000115902
0.000785639
0.001257674
0.000785639
-0.000275604
-0.001279272
-0.001279272
-0.001871841
0.005944194
0.01602362
0.005944194
0.009097207
0.009097207
-0.000325363
-0.000708294
-0.000325363
-0.01087433
-0.01087433
-0.007011139
-0.01856636
-0.007011139

Table 2 : The load case 1 node 1 until 44 for Displacement Magnitude, Displacement in X,
Displacement in Y and Displacement in Z.

Graph Node vs Displacement

Magnitude
50
0
-50

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45
Load case 1 Field value
Load case 1 Node
Load case 1 X
Load case 1 Y
Load case 1 Z

Figure 4 : Graph Node vs Displacement Magnitude

4 Conclusion
Based on this simulation result, there are some results can be derived:
1. The space frame will be deformed in a bending mode with the largest displacement of
0.03901
2. High concentration stresses occur at lower left corner region where the space frame
is only has been loaded with -20000 N.