1-D Static Structural

Analysis
Beams

Lecture 4
Covers Sections 4.6 – 4.7 of the Textbook

ME460 Slide 1
 Cantilever Beam Example
1 3 1
IYY = b h I ZZ = b h3
12 12
Y
Polar moment of inertia (J)  Cab3,
X where if a = 2b, C  0.229*

b
h
L

• Beam is made of steel, E = 30e6 lb/in2 Fx Mx

• b = 0.5 in, h = 0.25 in, L = 10 in Fy

• Fx = 50 lb, Fy = 100 lb, Mx = 20 in-lb
* Mechanics of Materials, Beer, Johnston, DeWolf, Mazurek, McGraw Hill, 6th edition.
ME460 Slide 2
 Boundary Conditions

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2

The element type we are using has 6 degrees of freedom per node:
UX, UY, UZ, ROTX, ROTY, ROTZ

3D constraints: u1x = u1y = u1z = θ1x = θ1y = θ1z = 0

each element is 1 inch in length

note the odd node numbering (red numbers), due to
generation method
ME460 Slide 3
 cantilever_beam_A13.txt

nodes and
elements are
created during
meshing

There are over 1500 ANSYS commands!! Wowsers!

ME460 Slide 4
 cantilever_beam_A13.txt

applies
constraint to all
selected nodes

ME460 Slide 5
 ANSYS Commands
• Use ANSYS Help Index to look up remaining commands.

sectype: Relates section type data with a section ID number

k: Defines a keypoint.
l: Defines a line between two keypoints.
lesize: Specifies the divisions and spacing ratio on unmeshed lines.
lmesh: Generates nodes and line elements along lines.
nsel: Selects a subset of nodes.

ME460 Slide 6
 Run Program
1. Open ANSYS
2. Change working directory
3. Run program
4. Plot elements, boundary conditions and applied loads.

ME460 Slide 7
 5. Examine computed deflections in x-direction
• Main Menu: General Postproc – List Results – Nodal
Solution

Fx L
 xmax =
AE Does ANSYS match with theory?

ME460 Slide 8
 6. Examine computed deflections in y-direction
• Main Menu: General Postproc – List Results – Nodal
Solution

3
Fy L
 ymax = Does ANSYS match with theory?
3 E I ZZ
ME460 Slide 9
 7. Examine computed deflections about x-axis
• Main Menu: General Postproc – List Results – Nodal
Solution

E
G=
2 (1 + v )
Does ANSYS match with theory?

v = 0.3 What equation do you use?

ME460 Slide 10
 Beam Stress Review
• Stresses must first be exported to element tables before
being viewed.
• Use item labels and sequence numbers to specify data to
be copied.
• ANSYS Help: search for BEAM188

Stresses Data Item Sequence

Label Number
axial direct stress SDIR SMISC 31,36

axial force Fx SMISC 1,14

bending stress on +Y side SByT SMISC 32,37

bending stress on –Y side SByB SMISC 33,38

ME460 Slide 11
 8. Export stresses to element tables
• Main Menu: General Postproc – Element Table – Define Table

This is the axial direct stress at Node I.

ME460 Slide 12
 8. Export stresses to element tables (cont)

This is the axial direct stress at Node J.

ME460 Slide 13
 8. Export stresses to element tables (cont)

This is the bending stress on the element +Y side of the beam at Node I.

ME460 Slide 14
 8. Export stresses to element tables (cont)

This is the bending stress on the element -Y side of the beam at Node I.

ME460 Slide 15
 8. Export stresses to element tables (cont)

ME460 Slide 16
 9. List element tables
• Main Menu: General Postproc – Element Table – List Element
Table

ME460 Slide 17
 Practice
1. Is the beam cross-section orientation in the model same as that in
the problem statement? Either way, what is the easiest way to
change this orientation?

2. Change number of elements and examine computed deflections.

• Do they change? Are they still in agreement with theory?
• What are advantages of having more elements?

3. Determine a means of replacing DOF constraints with one line

using d command.

4. Does the model match the analytical values on Slides 8, 9, and

10? If no, what needs to be changed to get them to match?

5. Are the stresses on Slide 17 what you’d expect?

ME460 Slide 18
 Entity Selection
• Selecting nodes, lines, elements (and higher order
entities) is an important part of ANSYS.
• Allows the application of boundary conditions, loads
and post-processing of precise locations.
• Learning the basics will help throughout the class
because the naming scheme is straightforward:

ksll = select keypoints

nsel = select nodes associated with selected lines
lsel = select lines
asel = select areas eslv = select elements associated
with selected volumes

ME460 Slide 19
 node_select.txt

create a grid
of nodes for
selection

tells ANSYS to stop

reading from input file

ME460 Slide 20
 Nodes Created

ME460 Slide 21
 copy and
paste
individual
sections into
command
line

ME460 Slide 22
 keypoint_select.txt

create a grid
of keypoints
and lines for
selection

copy and
paste
different
sections into
command
line

ME460 Slide 23