UofAANSYSTutorial

TwoDimensionalTruss

ANSYS
UTILITIES

BASIC
TUTORIALS

INTERMEDIATE

TUTORIALS

ADVANCED
TUTORIALS

POSTPROC.
TUTORIALS

COMMAND
LINEFILES

PRINTABLE
VERSION

TwoDimensionalTruss

BicycleSpaceFrame
PlaneStressBracket
ModelingTools
SolidModeling

Index

Contributions
Comments

Introduction
ThistutorialwascreatedusingANSYS7.0tosolveasimple2DTrussproblem.Thisisthefirstoffour
introductoryANSYStutorials.

ProblemDescription
Determinethenodaldeflections,reactionforces,andstressforthetrusssystemshownbelow(E=
200GPa,A=3250mm2).

MecE563
MechanicalEngineering
UniversityofAlberta

ANSYSInc.

(ModifiedfromChandrupatla&Belegunda,IntroductiontoFiniteElementsinEngineering,p.123)

Copyright2001
UniversityofAlberta

Preprocessing:DefiningtheProblem
1.GivetheSimplifiedVersionaTitle(suchas'BridgeTrussTutorial').
IntheUtilitymenubarselectFile>ChangeTitle:

Thefollowingwindowwillappear:

Enterthetitleandclick'OK'.Thistitlewillappearinthebottomleftcornerofthe'Graphics'
Windowonceyoubegin.Note:togetthetitletoappearimmediately,selectUtilityMenu>Plot
>Replot
2.EnterKeypoints
TheoverallgeometryisdefinedinANSYSusingkeypointswhichspecifyvariousprincipal
coordinatestodefinethebody.Forthisexample,thesekeypointsaretheendsofeachtruss.
Wearegoingtodefine7keypointsforthesimplifiedstructureasgiveninthefollowing
table
coordinate
keypoint
x
y
1
0
0
2
1800
3118
3
3600
0
4
5400
3118
5
7200
0
6
9000
3118

7
10800
0
(thesekeypointsaredepictedbynumbersintheabovefigure)
Fromthe'ANSYSMainMenu'select:
Preprocessor>Modeling>Create>Keypoints>InActiveCS

Thefollowingwindowwillthenappear:

Todefinethefirstkeypointwhichhasthecoordinatesx=0andy=0:
Enterkeypointnumber1intheappropriatebox,andenterthex,ycoordinates:0,0intheir
appropriateboxes(asshownabove).
Click'Apply'toacceptwhatyouhavetyped.
Entertheremainingkeypointsusingthesamemethod.
Note:Whenenteringthefinaldatapoint,clickon'OK'toindicatethatyouarefinished
enteringkeypoints.Ifyoufirstpress'Apply'andthen'OK'forthefinalkeypoint,youwill
havedefinedittwice!
Ifyoudidpress'Apply'forthefinalpoint,simplypress'Cancel'toclosethisdialogbox.
Units
Notetheunitsofmeasure(iemm)werenotspecified.Itistheresponsibilityoftheusertoensure
thataconsistentsetofunitsareusedfortheproblemthusmakinganyconversionswhere
necessary.
CorrectingMistakes
Whendefiningkeypoints,lines,areas,volumes,elements,constraintsandloadsyouareboundto
makemistakes.Fortunatelytheseareeasilycorrectedsothatyoudon'tneedtobeginfromscratch
everytimeanerrorismade!Every'Create'menuforgeneratingthesevariousentitiesalsohasa
corresponding'Delete'menuforfixingthingsup.
3.FormLines
Thekeypointsmustnowbeconnected
Wewillusethemousetoselectthekeypointstoformthelines.
Inthemainmenuselect:Preprocessor>Modeling>Create>Lines>Lines>InActive
Coord.Thefollowingwindowwillthenappear:

Usethemousetopickkeypoint#1(i.e.clickonit).Itwillnowbemarkedbyasmall
yellowbox.
Nowmovethemousetowardkeypoint#2.Alinewillnowshowonthescreenjoining
thesetwopoints.Leftclickandapermanentlinewillappear.
Connecttheremainingkeypointsusingthesamemethod.
Whenyou'redone,clickon'OK'inthe'LinesinActiveCoord'window,minimizethe
'Lines'menuandthe'Create'menu.YourANSYSGraphicswindowshouldlooksimilarto
thefollowingfigure.

DisappearingLines
Pleasenotethatanylinesyouhavecreatedmay'disappear'throughoutyouranalysis.However,
theyhavemostlikelyNOTbeendeleted.IfthisoccursatanytimefromtheUtilityMenuselect:
Plot>Lines
4.DefinetheTypeofElement
Itisnownecessarytocreateelements.Thisiscalled'meshing'.ANSYSfirstneedstoknowwhat
kindofelementstouseforourproblem:
FromthePreprocessorMenu,select:ElementType>Add/Edit/Delete.Thefollowing
windowwillthenappear:

Clickonthe'Add...'button.Thefollowingwindowwillappear:

Forthisexample,wewillusethe2Dsparelementasselectedintheabovefigure.Select
theelementshownandclick'OK'.Youshouldsee'Type1LINK1'inthe'ElementTypes'
window.
Clickon'Close'inthe'ElementTypes'dialogbox.
5.DefineGeometricProperties
Wenowneedtospecifygeometricpropertiesforourelements:
InthePreprocessormenu,selectRealConstants>Add/Edit/Delete

ClickAdd...andselect'Type1LINK1'(actuallyitisalreadyselected).Clickon'OK'.The
followingwindowwillappear:

Asshowninthewindowabove,enterthecrosssectionalarea(3250mm):
Clickon'OK'.
'Set1'nowappearsinthedialogbox.Clickon'Close'inthe'RealConstants'window.
6.ElementMaterialProperties
Youthenneedtospecifymaterialproperties:
Inthe'Preprocessor'menuselectMaterialProps>MaterialModels

DoubleclickonStructural>Linear>Elastic>Isotropic

WearegoingtogivethepropertiesofSteel.Enterthefollowingfield:
EX200000
Setthesepropertiesandclickon'OK'.Note:Youmayobtainthenote'PRXYwillbesetto
0.0'.Thisispoisson'sratioandisnotrequiredforthiselementtype.Click'OK'onthe
windowtocontinue.Closethe"DefineMaterialModelBehavior"byclickingonthe'X'
boxintheupperrighthandcorner.
7.MeshSize
ThelaststepbeforemeshingistotellANSYSwhatsizetheelementsshouldbe.Therearea
varietyofwaystodothisbutwewilljustdealwithonemethodfornow.
InthePreprocessormenuselectMeshing>SizeCntrls>ManualSize>Lines>All

Lines

Inthesize'NDIV'field,enterthedesirednumberofdivisionsperline.Forthisexamplewe
wantonly1divisionperline,therefore,enter'1'andthenclick'OK'.Notethatwehavenot
yetmeshedthegeometry,wehavesimplydefinedtheelementsizes.
8.Mesh
Nowtheframecanbemeshed.
Inthe'Preprocessor'menuselectMeshing>Mesh>Linesandclick'PickAll'inthe
'MeshLines'Window
Yourmodelshouldnowappearasshowninthefollowingwindow

PlotNumbering
Toshowthelinenumbers,keypointnumbers,nodenumbers...
FromtheUtilityMenu(topofscreen)selectPlotCtrls>Numbering...
FillintheWindowasshownbelowandclick'OK'

Nowyoucanturnnumberingonoroffatyourdiscretion
SavingYourWork
Savethemodelatthistime,soifyoumakesomemistakeslateron,youwillatleastbeabletocome
backtothispoint.Todothis,ontheUtilityMenuselectFile>Saveas....Selectthenameandlocation
whereyouwanttosaveyourfile.
Itisagoodideatosaveyourjobatdifferenttimesthroughoutthebuildingandanalysisofthemodelto
backupyourworkincaseofasystemcrashorwhathaveyou.

SolutionPhase:AssigningLoadsandSolving
Youhavenowdefinedyourmodel.Itisnowtimetoapplytheload(s)andconstraint(s)andsolvethe
theresultingsystemofequations.
Openupthe'Solution'menu(fromthesame'ANSYSMainMenu').
1.DefineAnalysisType
FirstyoumusttellANSYShowyouwantittosolvethisproblem:
FromtheSolutionMenu,selectAnalysisType>NewAnalysis.

Ensurethat'Static'isselectedi.e.youaregoingtodoastaticanalysisonthetrussas
opposedtoadynamicanalysis,forexample.
Click'OK'.
2.ApplyConstraints
Itisnecessarytoapplyconstraintstothemodelotherwisethemodelisnottieddownorgrounded
andasingularsolutionwillresult.Inmechanicalstructures,theseconstraintswilltypicallybe
fixed,pinnedandrollertypeconnections.Asshownabove,theleftendofthetrussbridgeis

pinnedwhiletherightendhasarollerconnection.
IntheSolutionmenu,selectDefineLoads>Apply>Structural>Displacement>On
Keypoints

Selecttheleftendofthebridge(Keypoint1)byclickingonitintheGraphicsWindowand
clickon'OK'inthe'ApplyU,ROTonKPs'window.

Thislocationisfixedwhichmeansthatalltranslationalandrotationaldegreesoffreedom
(DOFs)areconstrained.Therefore,select'AllDOF'byclickingonitandenter'0'inthe
Valuefieldandclick'OK'.
Youwillseesomebluetrianglesinthegraphicswindowindicatingthedisplacement
contraints.
Usingthesamemethod,applytherollerconnectiontotherightend(UYconstrained).Note
thatmorethanoneDOFconstraintcanbeselectedatatimeinthe"ApplyU,ROTonKPs"
window.Therefore,youmayneedto'deselect'the'AllDOF'optiontoselectjustthe'UY'
option.
3.ApplyLoads
Asshowninthediagram,therearefourdownwardloadsof280kN,210kN,280kN,and360kNat
keypoints1,3,5,and7respectively.
SelectDefineLoads>Apply>Structural>Force/Moment>onKeypoints.
SelectthefirstKeypoint(leftendofthetruss)andclick'OK'inthe'ApplyF/MonKPs'
window.

SelectFYinthe'Directionofforce/mom'.Thisindicatethatwewillbeapplyingtheloadin
the'y'direction
Enteravalueof280000inthe'Force/momentvalue'boxandclick'OK'.Notethatweare
usingunitsofNhere,thisisconsistentwiththepreviousvaluesinput.
Theforcewillappearinthegraphicswindowasaredarrow.
Applytheremainingloadsinthesamemanner.
Theappliedloadsandconstraintsshouldnowappearasshownbelow.

4.SolvingtheSystem
WenowtellANSYStofindthesolution:
Inthe'Solution'menuselectSolve>CurrentLS.Thisindicatesthatwedesirethesolution
underthecurrentLoadStep(LS).

Theabovewindowswillappear.Ensurethatyoursolutionoptionsarethesameasshown
aboveandclick'OK'.

Oncethesolutionisdonethefollowingwindowwillpopup.Click'Close'andclosethe
/STATUSCommandWindow..

Postprocessing:ViewingtheResults
1.HandCalculations
Wewillfirstcalculatetheforcesandstressinelement1(aslabeledintheproblemdescription).

2.ResultsUsingANSYS
ReactionForces
Alistoftheresultingreactionforcescanbeobtainedforthiselement
fromtheMainMenuselectGeneralPostproc>ListResults>ReactionSolu.

Select'AllstrucforcF'asshownaboveandclick'OK'

Thesevaluesagreewiththereactionforcesclaculatedbyhandabove.

Deformation
IntheGeneralPostprocmenu,selectPlotResults>DeformedShape.Thefollowing
windowwillappear.

Select'Def+undefedge'andclick'OK'toviewboththedeformedandtheundeformed
object.

Observethevalueofthemaximumdeflectionintheupperlefthandcorner(DMX=7.409).
Oneshouldalsoobservethattheconstraineddegreesoffreedomappeartohavea
deflectionof0(asexpected!)
Deflection
Foramoredetailedversionofthedeflectionofthebeam,
Fromthe'GeneralPostproc'menuselectPlotresults>ContourPlot>NodalSolution.
Thefollowingwindowwillappear.

Select'DOFsolution'and'USUM'asshownintheabovewindow.Leavetheother
selectionsasthedefaultvalues.Click'OK'.

Lookingatthescale,youmaywanttousemoreusefulintervals.FromtheUtilityMenu
selectPlotControls>Style>Contours>UniformContours...
Fillinthefollowingwindowasshownandclick'OK'.

Youshouldobtainthefollowing.

Thedeflectioncanalsobeobtainedasalistasshownbelow.GeneralPostproc>List
Results>NodalSolutionselect'DOFSolution'and'ALLDOFs'fromthelistsinthe'List
NodalSolution'windowandclick'OK'.Thismeansthatwewanttoseealistingofall
degreesoffreedomfromthesolution.

Aretheseresultswhatyouexpected?Notethatallthedegreesoffreedomwereconstrained
tozeroatnode1,whileUYwasconstrainedtozeroatnode7.
Ifyouwantedtosavetheseresultstoafile,select'File'withintheresultswindow(atthe
upperlefthandcornerofthislistwindow)andselect'Saveas'.
AxialStress
Forlineelements(ielinks,beams,spars,andpipes)youwilloftenneedtousetheElementTable
togainaccesstoderiveddata(iestresses,strains).Forthisexampleweshouldobtainaxialstress
tocomparewiththehandcalculations.TheElementTableisdifferentforeachelement,therefore,
weneedtolookatthehelpfileforLINK1(Typehelplink1intotheInputLine).FromTable1.2
intheHelpfile,wecanseethatSAXLcanbeobtainedthroughtheETABLE,usingtheitem
'LS,1'
FromtheGeneralPostprocessormenuselectElementTable>DefineTable
Clickon'Add...'

Asshownabove,enter'SAXL'inthe'Lab'box.Thisspecifiesthenameoftheitemyouare
defining.Next,inthe'Item,Comp'boxes,select'Bysequencenumber'and'LS,'.Thenenter
1afterLS,intheselectionbox
Clickon'OK'andclosethe'ElementTableData'window.
PlottheStressesbyselectingElementTable>PlotElemTable
Thefollowingwindowwillappear.Ensurethat'SAXL'isselectedandclick'OK'

BecauseyouchangedthecontourintervalsfortheDisplacementplotto"UserSpecified"
youneedtoswitchthisbackto"Autocalculated"toobtainnewvaluesforVMIN/VMAX.
UtilityMenu>PlotCtrls>Style>Contours>UniformContours...

Again,youmaywishtoselectmoreappropriateintervalsforthecontourplot
ListtheStresses
Fromthe'ElementTable'menu,select'ListElemTable'
Fromthe'ListElementTableData'windowwhichappearsensure'SAXL'is
highlighted
Click'OK'

NotethattheaxialstressinElement1is82.9MPaaspredictedanalytically.

CommandFileModeofSolution

TheaboveexamplewassolvedusingamixtureoftheGraphicalUserInterface(orGUI)andthe
commandlanguageinterfaceofANSYS.ThisproblemhasalsobeensolvedusingtheANSYS
commandlanguageinterfacethatyoumaywanttobrowse.Openthe.HTMLversion,copyandpaste
thecodeintoNotepadorasimilartexteditorandsaveittoyourcomputer.Nowgoto'File>Read
inputfrom...'andselectthefile.A.PDFversionisalsoavailableforprinting.

QuittingANSYS
ToquitANSYS,select'QUIT'fromtheANSYSToolbarorselectUtilityMenu/File/Exit....Inthe
dialogboxthatappears,clickon'SaveEverything'(assumingthatyouwantto)andthenclickon'OK'.