MEAM 354

COMSOL Multiphysics Demo

Fall 2014
Based upon the original MEAM 333 tutorial by Ian Cosden, edited by Drew Cheney (2011), Alison Koser
(2013), Nathan Ip and Sheng Mao (2013), John Bassani (2014), Qingze Zhao and Dawei Song (2014).
Introduction
COMSOL is a general purpose finite element software package that enables computer-based solutions
to many engineering problems in the areas of structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics,
electromagnetics, acoustics, chemical transport as well as user defined systems of differential equations.
This demo guides the user through the structural mechanics module of COMSOL to solve the elasticity
problem of a plate with circular hole. Following the demo, there are a few problems suggested that you
should try to solve. A project will be assigned and worked out in teams of 2 students.
COMSOL is available on all SEAS computers and can be run remotely using the remote desktop software
that is available through CETS see http://www.seas.upenn.edu/cets/answers/virtualLab.html

Please read over the handout prior to attending the class demo.

Familiarize yourself with COMSOL by opening up the program and exploring options.

The following links may be helpful to learn COMSOL more effectively:

o

http://www.comsol.com/products

http://www.comsol.com/structural-mechanics-module

Problem Statement
In structural design, holes are frequently present for connections and for so-called light weighting
(reducing component weight, e.g., for energy efficiency in cars and planes). Holes, and other geometric
irregularities, lead to stress concentrations and often are the origin of failure under loads. Finite element
analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool for obtaining solutions (e.g., stress concentration factors) for arbitrary
geometries and loading conditions, which is widely used by engineers throughout industry. A rather
complex example was presented last year by Alice Yurechko (MEAM 2010) based upon her work at
ExxonMobil involving a stress analysis of a chemical reactor that is depicted in Fig. 1. That simulation
utilized the commercial software ABAQUS, which is one of the industry standards (particularly for
nonlinear analyses). In the reactor, tubes are connected to holes in the header, which under service
pressures, leads to stress concentrations. Note that the geometry leads to a complex pattern of stress
concentrations (see red regions in header a color copy of this document is available on the Canvas site).

Figure 1 Finite element analysis of a chemical reactor using ABAQUS. The colors depict
magnitudes of the von Mises stress, which is a combination of all the components of stress that
correlates with yielding in certain isotropic materials (more on that later).

Demo Problem
To get started, we will consider a much simpler problem: a rectangular steel plate of length 1m and width
0.6 m with a circular hole of radius 0.1 m as shown in Fig. 2. The plate is loaded by a uniaxial traction of
10MPa as shown. This simulation is used to study the stress distribution and stress concentration in the
plate. The material is assumed to be isotropic and undergoes only linearly elastic deformations.
We will solve this problem using the COMSOL FEA software. The steps involved include setting up the
geometry of the problem, defining the material, building a mesh, setting boundary conditions, computing
the solution, and finally post-processing, e.g. plotting, the results. We will first solve this problem in
plane stress and then in plane strain.
To set up the finite element model, in order to prevent the plate from undergoing a rigid-body translation
and rotation, the lower left corner is fixed and the horizontal displacement on the upper left corner is also
set to zero. Note that by default in COMSOL all boundary conditions are assumed to be traction-free until
they are over written.

ux=0

xx=10 MPa
xy=0

1.0m

0.6m

xx=10 MPa
0.2m

ux=0
uy=0

Figure 2 Geometry and boundary conditions for demo problem of a circular hole
in a plate under uniaxial tension.

xy=0

Plate with hole under uniaxial stress

Getting started
1. At a SEAS computer or by connecting to the SEAS virtual PC lab (follow the instructions in the
link: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/cets/answers/virtualLab.html)
2. From the start menu select (Classkit License) COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4:
Start > All programs > Course-Specific Software > MEAM > COMSOL 4.4 > (Classkit License)
COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4
3. In the Model tab, select Model Wizard, choose 2D for Select Space Dimension.
Then click the done on the bottom.

4. Under Select Physics tab, expand Structural Mechanics and select Solid Mechanics (solid) and
click add.
5. Then click the study arrow on the bottom of the tab.
Under Select Study , select Stationary from Preset Studies, and click done at the bottom.

Model setup
Draw the rectangular plate
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Select Geometry tab on the top.

Select Rectangle (Center) at the top of the screen.
Click on the origin in the Graphics Window;
Expand the rectangle to an arbitrary amount.
Under the Model Builder tab expand Geometry and click on Rectangle 1.
Change the width to 1 m and height to 0.6 m.
Click on the Build Selected icon on the top left corner of the Rectangle tab to build the modified
rectangle.

Draw the circular hole

1. Click on Geometry tab and select Draw Circle at the top of the screen.
2. Click on the origin in the Graphics Window and expand the circle to an arbitrary amount.
Under the Model Builder tab expand Geometry1 and click on Circle 1.
3. Change the radius to 0.1 m.
You may also change the center of the circle in Position.
4. Click on the Build Selected icon on the top left corner of the Circle tab to build the modified
circle.

Create the hole

1. Click on Geometry in the Model Builder tab. Then click on the Graphics window and select all
components by hitting the Ctrl + A button. Then select Difference at the top of the screen. The
model should now become a solid plate with a circular hole at the center.

Material setup
Load Steel
1. Right click Materials in the Model Builder tab and select Add Material.
2. In the Add Material tab on the right, expand Built-In and select Structural Steel
3. Click Add to component.

Boundary conditions setup

By default, all boundaries are initially free surfaces, i.e. traction free.
Uniform traction (load) on left edge
1. Right click on Solid Mechanics (Solid) in the Model Builder tab and select Boundary Load.

In the Graphics tab, highlight the left edge by clicking on the line.
2. Change the Load value in the x direction from 0 to -10,000,000 N/m2.

Uniform traction (load) on right edge

1. Right click on Solid Mechanics (Solid) in the Model Builder tab and select Boundary Load.
2. In the Graphics tab, highlight the right edge by clicking on the line.

3. Change the Load value in the x direction from 0 to 10,000,000 N/m2.

Zero displacements on bottom left corner (to constrain rigid body translation)
1. Right click on Solid Mechanics (Solid) in the Model Builder tab and select Prescribed
Displacement.

2.
3.
4.
5.

In the Graphics tab, highlight the left edge by clicking on the line
Select Add to Selection in the Settings tab.
Check the Prescribed in x direction box and set the value to 0.
Check the Prescribed in y direction box and set the value to 0.

Zero x-displacement on top left corner (to constrain rigid body rotation)
1. Right click on Solid Mechanics (Solid) in the Model Builder tab, expand the Points submenu
and select Prescribed Displacement.

2. In the Graphics tab, highlight the top left corner by clicking on the point
3. Check the Prescribed in x direction box and set the value to 0.

Generate a finite element mesh

COMSOL uses a finite element method to discretize the geometry into small elements and solves the
mechanics equations over each individual element. As you make a finer mesh, COMSOL will give more
locally resolved solutions but the time it takes to solve the system of equations increases as well. On the
other hand, if the mesh is too coarse some local effects, e.g. stress concentration, may be skewed or
inaccurate. COMSOL has a built in mesh generator and refiner with the ability to manually refine regions
of interest.
Create a FE mesh
1. Right click Mesh on the Model Builder tab.
2. Select Free Triangular.

3. Click the Build Selected button on the top right corner of the Settings tab.
Refine the mesh
One method to check accuracy of solution is to compare with a finer mesh. The solution is converged
when the mesh density does not influence the solution.
1. Right click Mesh on the Model Builder tab and select Refine in the More Operations submenu.
2. Click the Build Selected button on the top right corner of the Settings tab.
3. Repeat the process if you need to refine the mesh further.

Solve/compute finite element model

1. Right click Study 1 on the Model Builder tab and select Compute.
2. After the program completes running, it automatically plots the von Mises stresses in the
Graphics tab. To return to the plot you can click on Stress (solid) under the Results section on
Model Builder tab.

Post processing
Rescale displacement factor
1. Expand Stress (solid) in the Results section on the Model Builder tab and then expand the
Surface 1 option.
2. Select Deformation and on the Deformation tab check the Scale factor box. Change the value to
1.
3. Click the Plot icon on the top left corner of the tab to update the Graphics tab.

Change the plot to show a different result

1. Click on Surface 1 under Stress (solid) on the Model Builder tab.
2. On the right side of Expression menu click on the Replace Expression button. Under Solid Mechanics
there is a list of different options to choose from. Stress > Stress tensor (Spatial) is one of the useful
options in this example.
3. Click the Plot icon on the top left of the tab to update the Graphics tab.

Construct a line plot

1. Click on the Select first point for cut line icon at the top of the screen.
2. Expand Data Sets under Results on the Model Builder tab. Select Cut Line 2D.

3. Change the x values for Point 1 and Point 2 to 0.

4. Click the Plot icon on the top right corner of the tab to update the Graphics tab.
5. Expand 1D Plot Group and click on Line Graph on the Model Builder tab. You may change
the expression in the similar way described for the surface plot.
6. Click on the Plot icon on the top right corner of Settings tab to make sure the changes are
updated every time.

Exercises
Try the following problems on your own:
1. Consider a circular hole in a plate under biaxial loading that includes normal tractions on the top
and bottom surfaces as well as on the left and right edges. Modify the boundary conditions to
simulate the problem.
2. Consider various configurations of several holes as shown below. Find the maximum stresses and
the compare the results with the circular hole under uniaxial tension.