ME-380 Course Notes

ANSYS LESSON 2
Beams and Plane Stress Elements

David Herrin, Ph.D.

University of Kentucky
 ME-380 Course Notes

Beam Element Example

Solving Beams with ANSYS
A = 3 in2
IZZ = 450 in4
H = 5 in 250 lbf/in

500 lbf

10 ft 20 ft
 ME-380 Course Notes

Add Beam Element Type

Solving Beams with ANSYS

g Preprocessor > Element type > Add/Edit/Delete

· <Add>
· <Okay> Select BEAM3
· <Close>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Enter Values for Real Constants

Solving Beams with ANSYS

g Preprocessor > Real Constants > Add/Edit/Delete

· <Add>
· <Okay> to select type 1
· Enter the values
 IZZ = 450 in4, A = 3 in2, H = 5 in
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Enter Values for Material Constants

Solving Beams with ANSYS

g Preprocessor > Material Props > Material Properties

> Material Models > Structural > Linear > Elastic
> Isotropic
· Enter the value for Young’s Modulus
 E = 30e6 psi
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Create Three Keypoints

g Preprocessor > Modeling - Create > Keypoints

> In Active CS
· Enter the following values for keypoint 1
 NPT=1, x=0, y=0 z=0 <Apply>
· Enter the following values for keypoint 2
 NPT=2, x= -20*12, y=0 z=0 <Apply>
· Enter the following values for keypoint 3
 NPT=3, x= -30*12, y=0 z=0 <Apply>
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Create Lines Between Keypoints

Solving Beams with ANSYS

gPreprocessor > Modeling - Create > Lines >

Straight Line
· Select KP 1 and 2 in graphics window
· Select KP 2 and 3 in graphics window
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Mesh the Lines to Create Elements

Solving Beams with ANSYS

gPreprocessor > Meshing - Size Controls > Lines -

All Lines >
· Size = 3
· <Okay>

g Preprocessor > Meshing - Mesh Lines > Pick All

· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Apply Restraints
Solving Beams with ANSYS

gPreprocessor > Loads > Loads - Apply >

Structural Displacement > On Keypoints
· Select KP 1 (x = 0, y = 0, z = 0)
· Select All DOF
· Displacement Value = 0.0
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Apply Restraints
Solving Beams with ANSYS

gPreprocessor > Loads > Loads - Apply >

Structural Displacement > On Keypoints
· Select KP 2 (x = -20*12, y = 0, z = 0)
· Select UY only
· Displacement Value = 0.0
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Apply Loads
Solving Beams with ANSYS

gPreprocessor > Loads > Loads - Apply >

Pressure > On Beams
· Select Elements on Line 1
· Value = -3000/12
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Apply Loads
Solving Beams with ANSYS

gPreprocessor > Loads > Loads - Apply >

Force/Moment > On Keypoints
· Select Keypoint 3
· UY = 500
· <Okay>
 ME-380 Course Notes

Solve the Model

Solving Beams with ANSYS

g Solution > Solve - Current LS

· <Okay>
· <Okay> when ANSYS is finished
 ME-380 Course Notes

Postprocessing
Solving Beams with ANSYS

gGeneral Postprocessor > Plot Results >

Deformed Shape
☺ Observe the deformed shape

gGeneral Postprocessor > Plot Results >

Contour Plot - Nodal Solution
· Select DOF Solution and UY
☺ Observe the contour plot of the
displacements in the y direction
 ME-380 Course Notes

Finding Beam Stresses

Final Project

gGeneral Postprocessor > Element Table >

Define Table …
· Add …
· Specify some label
· By Sequence Number

g Specify the sequence number (See Next Slide)

 ME-380 Course Notes

Sequence Numbers
Final Project

g Beam Stresses
· LS, 2 - SBYT – Bending stress on the + y side
· LS, 3 – SBYB – Bending stress on the – y side
· LS, 4 – SBZT – Bending stress on the + z side
· LS, 5 – SBZB – Bending stress on the – z side
· NMISC, 1 – SMAX – Direct Stress + Bending
Stress
·NMISC, 2 – SMIN – Direct Stress – Bending
Stress
 ME-380 Course Notes

Postprocessing
Solving Beams with ANSYS

gGeneral Postprocessor > List Results > Nodal

Solution
☺ Examine the values of the nodal
displacements
gGeneral Postprocessor > List Results >
Reactions
☺ Examine the values of the reactions
 ME-380 Course Notes

Homework 2.1
For the beam shown below, find the deflection at node 4.
Additionally, determine the reaction forces.

1500 lb/ft

1 2 3 4

12 ft 3 ft 3 ft

400 lb
 ME-380 Course Notes

Homework 2.2
Consider the frame shown below. The frame is made of steel (E = 30E6
psi). Determine displacement of at the corner of the frame. Also, find the
reaction forces. Assume that the member depth (height) is 12 inches.