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Model size
Element class
Solution type
Static: Max Stress, Crack propagation, Yield, Thermal
Dynamic: Natural Frequencies, Harmonic, PSD, Transient
Nonlinear: Stress stiffening, Buckling, Mass softening, Inelastic
response, gaps, friction
Special Techniques: Super-elements, Cracks (1/4 points), Rubber
Estimate Size
Computational time depends on development of
stiffness matrix and solution of equations
Development of stiffness matrix and load vector
is proportional to number of elements
Solution of simultaneous equations
Proportional to product of number of degrees of
freedom and bandwidth squared
Number of degrees of freedom is number of nodes
times number of displacements per node
Bandwidth is maximum node number difference times
number of degrees of freedom across an element
Thin structures
Maximum thickness should be < 1/10 of maximum
dimension
Use plate or shell elements
20-Node Element
Element Distortion
Aspect ratio
Greatest element length divided by smallest
Linear elements can go to 5:1 to 10:1
Quadratic elements can go to more than 20:1
Vertex angles
Should be as close to 90 degrees as possible
Error is about 1/sin(vertex angle)
Degeneration
Collapsed nodes (quads to triangles & bricks to
wedges and tetrahedrons)
Use special collapsed elements if possible
Solution Types
Static
Dynamic
Nonlinear
Special Types
Yielding
Thermal stresses
Specify coefficients of expansion
Specify strain free temperatures
thermal T Tref
Transient response
For example: wave propagation and explosions
Time step must be specified
Inelastic analysis
Steps through yield stress must be small
Inelastic Response
Plastic yielding
Depends on von Mises stress (isotropic material)
Return from a maximum stress (tension or
compression) is by Youngs modulus
Creep
Depends on von Mises stress (isotropic material)
Special Considerations
Super-elements can be used to model complex
structures
Stiffness matrix from a detailed element grid is used
Interior nodes are eliminated
Cracks
Crack tips can be modeled by moving mid-side nodes
to the quarter points
Rubber materials
Pressure becomes an unknown in addition to
displacements