Chapter 3

Solid Sections

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples

Chapter 3 Table of Contents
Example 3.1

Generic Solid Section Definition .................................................... 1

Example 3.2

Composite Solid Section Definition ............................................... 5

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

Example 3.1 Generic Solid Section Definition

Example 3.1
Generic Solid Section Definition
Example Description
Define a generic solid section capturing it from an ANSYS 3D finite element model
(shown below). First create a generic finite element model in ANSYS (as the one
represented in this example) and after use the CivilFEM commands to capture the
solid section and simultaneously create the corresponding cross section with the
same number. Use elements SOLID65.
(See the log file below if you want to create this same model).
Figure 3.1-1 Representative Model
5m

Figure 3.1-1 Problem Sketch

Material Properties
Structural Steel A 42 (EA)
Analysis Assumptions and Modeling Notes
In this example it is not necessary to worry about the element divisions over the
model as the local coordinate system created to define the nodal plane was located
at one end of the model. Use the free meshing option.

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

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Chapter 3 Solid Sections

Y
Z

Figure 3.1-2 Representative Finite Element Model

Input Data Listing
FINISH
~CFCLEAR,,1

! Not needed

! CivilFEM Setup: Code & Units

~UNITS,SI
~CODESEL, EA,EC2,,,EC8
/PREP7
! CivilFEM Preprocessor
! -------------------------------------------------! Define Materials
~CFMP,1,LIB,STEEL,EA,A42,0,0,0
! ANSYS Preprocessor
! -------------------------------------------------! Define Element Types
ET,1,65
!SOLID 65
!Solid Model
!keypoints
K,1,,1,,
K,2,1,0.7,,
K,3,1,0,,
K,4,0.6,-1,,
K,5,0.3,-1.5,,
K,6,0.1,-2,,
K,7,-0.3,-2,,
K,8,-1,-1,,

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CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

Example 3.1 Generic Solid Section Definition

K,9,-1,0.3,,
K,10,-0.5,0.8,,
KGEN,2,1, , , , ,-5, ,0
/VIEW, 1 ,1,1,1
A,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
LSTR,1,11
VDRAG, 1, , , , , , 11
NUMMRG,KP

!Copy Keypoints
!Generate area at one extreme
!Generate Volume from area
!Merge Keypoints

!Mesh
MAT,1
ESIZE,0.25,0,
MSHAPE,1,3D
MSHKEY,0
VMESH,ALL

!Free Meshing

!Define the local coordinate system

LOCAL,11,0,,,0,,,90
!Define local system at the model extreme
CSYS,11
!Active local system
NSEL,S,LOC,X,0
!Select nodes at X=0
ESLN,S
!Select the elements attached to nodes
EPLOT
!Plot selected elements
!Capture solid section
!SLDSEC,NSLD,UMBP,KCN,Name
~SLDSEC, 1,
2, 11,GENERIC SOLID SECTION

CivilFEM Results

Figure 3.1-1 Cross section

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

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Example 3.2 Composite Solid Section Definition

Example 3.2
Composite Solid Section Definition
Example Description
Define a composite (concrete+structural steel) solid section capturing it from an
ANSYS 3D finite element model (represented below). First create the finite element
model in ANSYS and after use the CivilFEM commands to capture the solid section
and simultaneously create the corresponding cross section with the same number.
Use the element SOLID 45 to model the concrete slab and the element SHELL 63 to
model the plates structure. Units are given in cm.

1000

(1)

(2)

(1) Concrete (slab)

(2) Structural Steel (plates)

Figure 3.2-1 Problem Sketch

Geometric Properties
ESP = 4 cm

Plates thickness

Material Properties
Concrete C20/25 (Eurocode No.2)
Structural Steel Fe 510 (Eurocode No.3)
Analysis Assumptions and Modeling Notes
Fifteen elements SOLID45 and fifteen elements SHELL43 have been used to build
the model. The element divisions over the model should coincide to allow a correct

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

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Chapter 3 Solid Sections

capturing of the solid section as it will be defined by a nodal plane located at the local
coordinate system created.
1
Y
Z
11

Figure 3.2-2 Representative Finite Element Model

Input Data Listing
FINISH
~CFCLEAR,,1

! Not needed

! CivilFEM Setup: Code & Units

~UNITS,SI
~CODESEL,EC3,EC2,,,EC8
/PREP7
! CivilFEM Preprocessor
! -------------------------------------------------! Define Materials
~CFMP,1,LIB,CONCRETE,EC2,C20/25,0,0,0 !Concrete slab
~CFMP,2,LIB,STEEL,EC3,Fe 510,0,0,0
!Structural steel plates
! ANSYS Preprocessor
! -------------------------------------------------! Define Element Types and Real Constants
ET,1,45
!SOLID45 (concrete slab)
ET,2,63
!SHELL63 (plates)
R,1,0.04
!Plate thickness
!Solid Model
L=10
!KeyPoints
K,1,-0.80,0.20,,

3-6

!Total model length

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

Example 3.2 Composite Solid Section Definition

K,2,0.8,0.2,,
K,3,0.8,0,,
K,4,-0.8,0,,
K,5,-0.72,0,,
K,6,-0.56,0,,
K,7,-0.32,-0.80,,
K,8,0.32,-0.8,,
K,9,0.56,0,,
K,10,0.72,0,,
KGEN, 2, 1, 10, 1, 0, 0, L, 100,
/VIEW, 1 ,1,1,1

!Copy keypoints

!Area (Plate areas)

*CREATE,ACHAPA,MAC
A,ARG1,ARG2,ARG2+100,ARG1+100
*END
ACHAPA,5,6
ACHAPA,6,7
ACHAPA,7,8
ACHAPA,8,9
ACHAPA,9,10
!Volume (concrete slab)
V,1,2,3,4,101,102,103,104
!Mesh of concrete slab
MAT,1
TYPE,1
LESIZE, 22, , , 20,
LESIZE, 28, , , 5,
LESIZE,23, , ,15, , , , ,1
MSHAPE,0,3D
MSHKEY,1
VMESH,ALL

!SOLID45
!Line division
!Division in 15 elements
!Mapped meshing

!Mesh of plates
VSEL,S,TYPE,,1
ASLV,U
APLOT
lsel,s,line,,5,14,3
lsel,a,line,,1
LESIZE,all,0.08, , , , , , ,1
lsel,all
LESIZE,6, , ,15, , , , ,1
LESIZE,9, , ,15, , , , ,1
TYPE,2
MAT, 2
REAL,1
MSHAPE,0,2D
AMESH,ALL
ALLSEL,ALL
NUMMRG,NODE
!Define the local coordinate system
LOCAL,11,0,0,0,2*(L/15),,,-90 !Define the local system
CSYS,11
!Active the local system
NSEL,S,LOC,X,0
!Select the nodal plane
NSEL,A,LOC,X,L/15
ESLN,S,1
NSEL,S,LOC,X,0

!Selects the elements attached to the selected nodes

!Select only the nodes on X=0

!Capture the solid section

~SLDSEC,1,2,11,SOLID SECTION

CivilFEM Results

CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.

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Chapter 3 Solid Sections

Figure 3.2-3 Solid Section

Figure 3.2-4 Cross section

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CivilFEM Manual of Essential Examples. 300609 .Ingeciber, S.A.