FEMFAT 4.

8 - STRAIN
User Manual

The STRAIN COMP submodule

The STRAIN COMP submodule is used to compare test and analysis results and hence to calibrate the FEM model. The stresses and strains in the direction of the measurement grid of the strain gages are always compared by COMP. In tests, the strains occurring in the component can be measured using strain gages. This measurement data is saved in columns in ASCII files (more format information in chapter 1 The FEMFAT STRAIN module). Strain values available before the start of the measurement can be included in the analysis. Virtual strain gages are "applied" to the existing FEM model (see chapter 4.2 COMP modeling guidelines for virtual strain gages), which are recognized as such by the program and can undergo further processing. The analysis results in ASCII files containing the selected results in columns. These results can also be directly visualized in FEMFAT.

The integration completed in Version 4.7 of the two FEMFAT modules BASIC and MAX significantly expands the utility of STRAIN COMP. A COMP analysis can now be performed in the course of an operational strength analysis. The input for FEMFAT will therefore not be dealt with further here, because it is described at the appropriate point in both the BASIC and the MAX manuals; background information will be described here:

4.1

Data comparisons

In BASIC the imported, measured strain data are now compared to four load situations: pure constant stress constant stress + mean stress constant stress + mean stress + amplitude constant stress + mean stress - amplitude In MAX the entire imported history is compared, where a signal length must be given for both the measurement and the FEM data.

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User Manual 4.2

COMP modeling guidelines for virtual strain gages

In order to identify matching points on the real component and on the model, virtual strain gages are attached to the FEM mesh. There are two different models for this: 1.) Triangular model: Two different definition types are available a) "predefined triangular model" with special node and element properties b) "attributeless triangular model" without special node and element properties 2.) "Node-to-node" model

4.2.1

Modeling with the triangular model

The application of virtual strain gages is also possible after the stress analysis and requires no new stress analysis. The stresses for the virtual strain gages are calculated in COMP from the surrounding nodes.

4.2.1.1

Predefined triangular model

Figure 11 GUI input for predefined triangular model?

Using this model type the entire strain gage geometry information can be determined from the FEM model; it is therefore not necessary to enter an element label on the GUI. A measurement grid of a virtual strain gage is represented by a degenerated, three-node shell element.

Figure 12 Virtual strain gage as degenerated three-node shell element

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The central node shown in red in Figure 12 constitutes the actual measurement grid and is hence referred to below as the measurement grid node. The two black nodes define the direction of the measurement grid. Hence a virtual strain gage rosette must be specified by three such degenerated shell elements:

Figure 13 Virtual strain gage rosette

It must be ensured that every measurement grid can be precisely identified. This identification is carried with the aid of color labels. When the stresses are subsequently calculated at the measurement grid nodes in COMP, neighboring mesh nodes for which stress data is available are used. If these lie on shell elements, however, the user should specify whether the top or bottom tensor is to be used. The color label can also be used here as the specification criterion. Measurement grid Measurement grid color label color label TOP BOTTOM 601 701 602 702 603 703 604 704

Type Linear Rosette

Measurement grid

0 grid 45 or 60 grid 90 or 120 grid

Table 2 : Color label of the measurement grid node

The material label is used to assign strain gages defined in COMP to the virtual strain gages attached in the model. The same material label must be assigned to all virtual measurement grids of a virtual strain gage (i.e. one for a linear strain gage, three for strain gage rosettes). The material labels for the strain gages must be assigned consecutively in order of input.

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Type Linear strain gage Strain gage rosette Strain gage element material label 1001 2000 2001 - 3000

Table 3 : Material label of strain gage elements

Example Definition on the COMP user interface Linear strain gage Rosette Rosette Linear strain gage Rosette corresponding element material label for the virtual strain gage 1001 2001 2002 1002 2003

Table 4: Example of material label of strain gage elements

4.2.1.2

Attributeless triangular model

The virtual strain gages are also represented by degenerated triangular elements; however, it is not necessary to assign special attributes for the elements. Definition as virtual strain gages is done directly on the FEMFAT GUI.

?
Figure 14 GUI input for an attributeless triangular model

4.2.2

"Node-to-node" modeling

Using the "node-to-node" model a strain gage is described by two nodes of the FEM geometry, as given on the GUI. The first node defined here is the base node, the second the reference node.

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Figure 15 GUI input for the node-to-node model

For linear strain gages the direction of the measurement grid is given by the two defined nodes, for rosettes the connection of the two nodes represents the direction of the central measurement grid. The other two are automatically determined by the program.

Figure 16 Identifying the measurement grid directions in the "node-to-node" model for linear strain gages and rosettes

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User Manual 4.3 4.3.1 FEM stress determination Stress determination for virtual "triangular model" definition type strain gages

FEM stress determination at the nodes of the virtual strain gage are determined with the aid of element shape functions from the stresses in the surrounding FEM entity. 4.3.1.1 Stress determination without consideration of the strain gage length: "CTR" mode

The stresses for the measurement grid node are determined with the aid of the element form functions.

Figure 17 Stress determination for the triangular model without length consideration

4.3.1.2

Stress determination with consideration of the strain gage length: "ALL" mode

The stresses for all nodes of the virtual strain gage are determined with the aid of the element shape functions. The stresses in the measurement grid direction are calculated by parabolic interpolation from these three stress tensors.

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Figure 18 Stress determination for the triangular model with length consideration

4.3.2

Stress determination for virtual "node-to-node" definition type strain gages

In the "node-to-node" model the stress from the base node GBase is directly utilized.

Figure 19 Stress determination for the node-to-node model

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