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Hw2 Benchmark Z Beam
Hw2 Benchmark Z Beam
Problem Statement:
A cantilever beam of z-cross section with an end couple force of 0.6 MN is
applied as shown in the figure.1 is a benchmark to test plate element type. The
benchmark value by NAFEMS1 standard bench test reports the compressive axial stress at
the plate mid-surface to be -108 MPa at point P shown in the figure.
Figure.1
Ref: 1 National Agency for Finite Element Methods and Standards, Rev. 3, 1990 http://www.nafems.org
Objective:
The standard reported value is used to perform a convergence study of all the plate
elements available, namely linear and parabolic order triangle and quadrilateral elements.
Relevant data:
Material properties: E = 210 GPa, = 0.3.
Physical Properties: Mindlin plate element with thickness of 0.1m.
Loading:
A torque load of 1.2 MN-m is equivalent to a couple force of 0.6 MN applied at each
edge as a shear load is shown as the figure 2.
Constraints:
One end of the beam is clamped so as to simulate a cantilever beam condition.
Figure 2
Check that you apply a shear force of 0.6 MPa in opposite directions at
two edges of the Z cross-section.
Check that you have changed the thickness from the default value.
Always start with a course mesh, if possible.
Investigate whether the drilling degree of freedom has an effect
Check that you are looking for axial (Z) stress results.
Check that you are reading results at mid-layer of the plate element.
Check that there are two stress values reported at point P while you query
the two adjacent elements related to the node at P. Average those two
values manually before keying into convergence plot.
Convergence Study
Compressive Axial
Stress at P, MPa
113
111.5
111
111
110.5
113.5
113
112.5
112
111.5
111
110.5
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
No of elements
Linear Quad
The linear quadrilateral elements have converged at a mesh density of 280 elements.
Compressive
Axial Stress
at P, MPa
106.96
108.74
108.34
109.3
109.45
109.61
109.54
No. of Elements
9
12
15
18
21
24
32
110
109.5
18
21
24
32
109
12
108.5
15
108
107.5
107
106.5
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
No of elements
Parabolic Quad
No. of
Elements
30
182
320
596
1062
1346
Compressive Axial
Stress at P, MPa
39.4
78.26
79.83
95.61
99.05
100
Compressiveaxial stress at P,
MPa
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
500
1000
1500
No of Ele me nts
Linear Triangle
Linear triangle element has converged with a higher mesh density of 1062 elements.
No. of
Elements
Compressive Axial
Stress at P, MPa
54
82
182
320
596
1346
118
117.7
112.6
111.09
111.05
110.9
119
118
117
116
115
114
113
112
111
110
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
No of Elements
Parabolic Triangle
The convergence of parabolic triangle elements has improved compared to linear triangle
elements. They converge at mesh distribution of 320 elements.
Comparison
140
120
108 MPa
Theoretical Value
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
No of elements
Linear Triangle
Parabolic Triangle
Linear Quad
Parabolic Quad
Conclusion:
Use of parabolic quadrilateral elements saves computation time and will result in accurate
results compared to other elements.