Coupled 1-D Static

Thermal / Structural
Analysis

Lecture 11

ME601 Slide 1
 Mechanical Strain
unstressed bar area: A

mechanical
length: L elongation: dLm

force: F F

mechanically stressed bar

stress: s = F/A
mechanical strain: em = dLm/L

Hooke’s Law relates stress and mechanical strain (em) in the elastic region
according to the modulus of elasticity (E):

em = s/E

ME601 Slide 2
 Thermal Strain
unstressed bar at reference temperature, To

thermal
length: L elongation: dLt

unstressed bar at elevated temperature, T

thermal strain: et = dLt/L

Coefficient of thermal expansion (a) relates temperature change and

thermal strain (et)

et = a (T-To)

ME601 Slide 3
 Total Strain
unstressed bar at reference temperature, To area: A

total
length: L elongation: dL

force: F F

mechanically stressed bar at elevated temperature, T

total strain: e = dL/L

total strain is the sum of the mechanical and thermal strain

e = em + et = s/E + a (T-To)

ME601 Slide 4
 Thermal Stress
Thermal stress – when a material wants to expand (or contract) because of
heating (or cooling) but is prevented from doing so by
• external restraints (forces), or
• internal restraint (adjacent material)

e = s/E + a (T-To)

mechanical stress may be generated by temperature change

restraints prevent elongation or contraction

ME601 Slide 5
 Externally Restrained Bar
unstressed bar at To

heated bar at T

restraints require that e = 0

e = s/E + a (T-To)
0 = s/E + a (T-To)
s = -a (T-To) E heating will result in a compressive stress (<0)
cooling will result in a tensile stress (>0)
ME601 Slide 6
 Internal Restraints
unstressed bar at To

cold

hot

• top wants to contract & bottom wants to expand

• the beam will curve in response to internal restraints on its motion

ME601 Slide 7
 Coupled ANSYS Method
1. Thermal Model
• Setup thermal model of nodes, elements, and loads
• Solve
• Temperature distribution becomes input for structural model

2. Structural Model
• Change element type to corresponding structural element
• Input temperature distribution as loading
• Solve

ME601 Slide 8
 Coupled Example

k = 0.058 W/m-K
A = 20 cm2 v = 0.33 T = 20º C
q = 100 W α = 23.1e-6 /K
k = 237 W/m-K E = 73.1 GPa

50 cm

• Aluminum cantilever beam.

• Conduction from wall and constant temperature
at end of beam.

ME601 Slide 9
 Preprocessing
Thermal

1. Launch ANSYS
2. Change Directory
• Utility Menu: File – Change Directory
3. Name file: Coupled Beam
• Utility Menu: File – Change Title
4. Change jobname: coupled_beam
• Utility Menu: File – Change Jobname

ME601 Slide 10
 5. Set analysis type
• Main Menu: Preferences

ME601 Slide 11
 6. Set element type
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Element type – Add/Edit/Delete

ME601 Slide 12
 7. Assign real constant of conduction element
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Real Constants –
Add/Edit/Delete

ME601 Slide 13
 8. Assign material properties
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Material Props – Material
Models

ME601 Slide 14
 8 (cont). Assign material properties
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Material Props – Material
Models

ME601 Slide 15
 8 (cont). Assign material properties
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Material Props – Material
Models

ANSYS Toolbar: SAVE_DB

ME601 Slide 16
 9. Create nodes
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Modeling – Create – Nodes – In
Active CS
Node 1: (0, 0, 0)
Node 6: (0.5, 0, 0)

• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Modeling – Create – Nodes –

Fill between Nds
Select nodes 1 and 6, ok

ME601 Slide 17
 10. Define elements by picking nodes
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Modeling – Create – Elements –
Auto Numbered – Thru Nodes
- Select node 1 and node 2, ok
- Select node 2 and node 3, ok
- Continue through node 6

ANSYS Toolbar:
SAVE_DB

ME601 Slide 18
 11. Set boundary conditions
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Loads – Define Loads – Apply –
Thermal – Temperature – On Nodes
- Select node 6, ok

ME601 Slide 19
 11 (cont). Set boundary conditions
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Loads – Define Loads – Apply –
Thermal – Heat Flow – On Nodes
- Select node 1, ok

ME601 Slide 20
 Solution
12. Set temperature offset (Kelvin to Celcius)
• Main Menu: Solution – Analysis Type – Analysis Options

ME601 Slide 21
 13. Solve the problem
• Main Menu: Solution – Solve – Current LS
a. Click OK on the Solve Current Load Step window
b. Close the /STATUS Command window
c. Close the Solution is done! window

14. Check any warnings or error messages

• Utility Menu: File – List – Error File

ME601 Slide 22
 Postprocessing
15. Check nodal temperatures
• Main Menu: General Postproc – List Results – Nodal
Solution

ME601 Slide 23
 Verify Results
• Does conduction equation hold?

T
qcond kA
l
 W  2  (398.49  293) K 
qcond   237   0.002 m     100 W
 mK   0.5m 

Yes!!

ME601 Slide 24
 Preprocessing
Structural

16. Save results

• Utility Menu: File – Save as Jobname.db
17. Delete thermal boundary conditions
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Loads – Define Loads – Delete
– All Load Data – All Loads & Opts.

ME601 Slide 25
 18. Switch the element type from thermal to structural
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Element Type – Switch Elem
Type

This switches element type to geometrically compatible

structural element (link1).

Check real constants and material properties. Note an initial

strain of 0 has been assumed for real constants.
ME601 Slide 26
 19. Apply DOF constraints
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Loads – Define loads – Apply –
Structural – Displacement – On Nodes
- Select Node 1, ok

ME601 Slide 27
 20. Read in temperature distribution from results file
• Main Menu: Preprocessor – Loads – Define loads – Apply –
Structural – Temperature – From Therm Analy

Browse and select the file:

Coupled_beam.rth, ok

ME601 Slide 28
 Solution
21. Solve the problem
• Main Menu: Solution – Solve – Current LS
a. Click OK on the Solve Current Load Step window
b. Close the /STATUS Command window
c. Close the Solution is done! window

22. Check any warnings or error messages

• Utility Menu: File – List – Error File

ME601 Slide 29
 Postprocessing
23. Check nodal displacements
• Main Menu: General Postproc – List Results – Nodal
Solution

ME601 Slide 30
 Verify Results
• Check free thermal expansion

d  L a T

 1
d   0.1m   23.1e  6   387.94 K  293K   0.2193e  3m
 K
average temperatures

 1
d   0.5m   23.1e  6   345.745K  293K   0.6092e  3m
 K

ME601 Slide 31