CombinationofShellandBeamElements

ProblemStatement:

Consideraplateweldedtotwobeamsasshownbelow.Determinethe...

a. deflectionofthestructure
b. xcomponentofstressactingonthemodel
c. ycomponentofstressactingonthemodel
d. zcomponentofstressactingonthemodel

48in

96in

Pressureactingontheplate:50psi
Y

X
1in

4in

2in
Frontview
ANSYSprocedure:

1. Preprocessor>Elementtype>Add/Edit/Delete>(Add)>(Shell)>(8node93)>Apply>(Add)>
Beam>(3node189)
2. Preprocessor>Realconstants>Add/Edit/Delete>(Add)>Type1(Shell93)>OK>Shell
thicknessatnodeI=1>OK
3. Preprocessor>Materialproperties>Materialmodels>Structural>Linear>Elastic>Isotropic
EnterEX=29 6 andPRXY=0.3
4. Preprocessor>Modeling>Create>Keypoints>InactiveCS

Keypoint Xcoordinate Ycoordinate Zcoordinate

1 0 0 0
2 48 0 0
3 48 0 96
4 0 0
Line1 96
5 0 40 48
6 48 40 48
Keypoints5and6areorientationkeypointsthatwillbeusedfortheBEAM189elements.

5. PlotCtrls>PanZoomRotate>Iso
6. Preprocessor > Modeling > Create > Lines >Lines > Straight lines (Click on the key points
1,2,2,3,3,4,4,1tocreatetheboundaryofrectangle)
7. Preprocessor > Modeling > Create > Areas > Arbitrary > By lines > Pick the four lines, starting
Line2
with 1 and ending with 4, to make a rectangular area. The order that the lines are entered can
influencethesurfacenormalandthedirectionthatthepressureloadingacts(upordown).

8. Preprocessor > Meshing > Mesh
tool>Elementattributes>Areas>
Set > Pick area > OK >
TYPE=Shell93>OK

9. Preprocessor > Meshing > Mesh
tool > Size cntrls > Areas > Set >
Pickarea>OK>SIZE=4

10. Preprocessor > Meshing > Mesh

tool>Mesh>Areas>Free>Mesh
>Pickarea>OK

11. Preprocessor>Meshing>Meshtool>Elementattributes>Lines>Set>Pickline2(theone
betweenkeypoints2and3)>OK>TYPE=Beam189>Orientationkeypoints=Yes>OK>Pick
keypoint5>OK
12. Preprocessor>Meshing>Meshtool>Elementattributes>Lines>Set>Pickline4(theone
betweenkeypoints3and4)>OK>TYPE=Beam189>Orientationkeypoints=Yes>OK>Pick
keypoint6>OK


13. Preprocessor>Meshing>Meshtool>Mesh>Lines>Mesh>Picklines2and4>OK
14. Utilitymenu>Plotctrls>Style>Sizeandshape>/ESHAPE=on>OK
15. Preprocessor>Sections>Beam>Commonsections>

Frontview

SincetheSAMElineswereusedtodefinebeamelementsANDtheareafromwhichtheshellelements
weremeshed,theshellandbeamelementssharethesamedegreesoffreedomalongthelongedgesof
theplate.Alsonotethatsincequadraticelements(3nodesonaside)wereusedfortheshellandbeam
elements,thereisnochanceforunwantedgapsdevelopingbetweenthetwoelementtypes.

16. Utilitymenu>Plot>Replot

Applyingloads:
17. Solution>Defineloads>
Apply>Structural>
Displacement>Onkeypoints

Keypoint DOF
1 Ux,Uy,Uz=0
2 Uy,Uz=0
3 Uy=0
4 Ux,Uy=0
Thebeamsaresimplysupported,
andtheplateissupportedbythe
beams.

18. Solution>Defineloads>
Apply>Structural>Pressure
>Onareas>Pickarea>OK>
VALUE=50

19. Solution>Solve>CurrentLS

Postprocessing:

20. GeneralPostproc>Plotresults>
DeformedShape>Def+Undefedge

 21. General Postproc > Plot results >

Contour plot > Element solution >
Stress>vonMisesstress>OK

22. General Postproc > Plot results >

Contour plot > Element solution >
Stress>Xcomponentofstress>OK

23. General Postproc > Plot results >

Contour plot > Element solution >
Stress>Ycomponentofstress>OK


24. General Postproc > Plot results >
Contour plot > Element solution >
Stress>Zcomponentofstress>OK

Summaryofresults:

a. Maximumdeflection:2.202in
b. MaximumXcomponentofstress:111668psi(tensileonbottomofplate)
c. MaximumYcomponentofstress:50psi(tractiononsurface=appliedpressure,asexpected)
d. MaximumZcomponentofstress:27250psi
e. MaximumvonMisesstress:111835psi

ThistutorialwasdevelopedbyDavidHallandSaiRaviKanthTummala2008