Bending of an Hexagonal Plate

Outline

1 Description
2 Finite Element model
2.1 Units
2.2 Geometry Definition
2.3 Properties
2.4 Boundary Constraints
2.5 Loads
2.6 Meshing
3 Linear Analysis
3.1 Analysis commands
3.2 Results
3.2.1 Displacements
3.2.2 Bending Moments
3.2.3 Reaction Forces
Appendix A Additional information

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1 Description
This example will demonstrate the modelling and linear elastic analysis of a plate as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Characteristics of the model

The outer edge of the plate is a regular hexagon with corners on a circle with radius ro = 10 m. Concentric with the outer edge, the plate has a circular hole with a radius ri = 4 m. The plate
is vertically supported (uZ = 0) at each of the corners along the outer edge.

We assume that the plate is made of concrete with a Young’s modulus E = 22000 MPa, a Poisson’s ratio ν = 0.2 and a mass density ρ = 2400 kg/m3 . The thickness of the plate is t = 0.30 m.
The loading consists of the dead weight and of a vertical load qZ = – 20 kN/m uniformly distributed along the edge of the circular hole.

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2 Finite Element model
For the modeling session we start a new project in which structural analysis in a three-dimensional environment can be performed [Fig. 2]. The dimensions of the domain are set equal to
100 m. Quadratic quadrilateral finite elements will be predominantly used in the analysis.
DianaIE

Main menu File New project [Fig. 2]

Figure 2: New project dialog

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2.1 Units
We will use meter, newton and kilogram for length, force and mass, respectively. We chose to use degree for the angles.
DianaIE

Geometry browser Reference system Units [Fig. 3]

Property panel [Fig. 4]

Figure 3: Geometry browser Figure 4: Property panel - Units

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2.2 Geometry Definition

Due to symmetry of the geometry, the supports and the loading, it is sufficient to model and analyze only one quarter of the plate. To model the geometry of the plate in DianaIE, we start
by creating an arc line and a polyline using the coordinates presented in Figure 5 and Figure 6, respectively.

DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Create Add arc line [Fig. 5]

Main menu Geometry Create Add polyline [Fig. 6]

Figure 7: Top view of the hexagonal plate

Figure 5: Add arc line – Inner Figure 6: Add polyline – Outer perimeter

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We create a plane from the wires. We can do this by right-clicking on the selected wire shapes [Fig. 8]–[Fig. 11].

DianaIE

Geometry Modify Create plane from wires [Fig. 8]–[Fig. 11]

(Or right-click on selected items and select the command)

Figure 8: Geometry browser Figure 9: Hexagonal plate perimeter Figure 10: Geometry browser Figure 11: Top view – Plane

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2.3 Properties

We will assign the material and geometry properties to the plate [Fig. 12]. Therefore we will create a new linear elastic material [Fig. 13]. The linear material parameters are E = 2.2e+10 N/m2 ,
ν = 0.2 and ρ = 2400 kg/m3 [Fig. 14].

DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Analysis Property assignments [Fig. 12]

Property assignments Add new material – Concrete [Fig. 13]
Edit material Linear elastic properties – Concrete [Fig. 14]

Figure 12: Property assignments Figure 13: Add new material – Concrete Figure 14: Add new material – Concrete

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We create a new element geometry property [Fig. 15]. The thickness of the plate is 0.3 meters [Fig. 16].

DianaIE

Property assignments Add new geometry – Plate [Fig. 15]

Edit geometry – Plate [Fig. 16]

Figure 15: Add new geometry – Plate Figure 16: Element geometry properties – Plate

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2.4 Boundary Constraints
The plate is vertically supported at each of the corners along the outer edge [Fig. 18].
DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Analysis Attach support [Fig. 17] [Fig. 18]

Figure 17: Attach supports Figure 18: Top view – Points supported in the Z-direction

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For symmetry reasons, we suppress the rotation along the X–axis [Fig. 20], and the rotation along the Y–axis [Fig. 22].

DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Analysis Attach support [Fig. 19] [Fig. 20]
(Repeat 2 times)

Figure 19: Attach support Figure 20: Supported edge along X–axis Figure 21: Attach support Figure 22: Supported edge along Y–axis

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We show the isometric view of the hexagonal plate geometry including the boundary constraints [Fig. 23].
DianaIE

Viewer Viewpoints Isometric view 1

Viewer Fit all

Figure 23: Isometric view of the hexagonal plate

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2.5 Loads
The loading comprises two cases: a gravity load and a distributed load acting downward along the inner edge.
We create a load case for the dead weight [Fig. 24].

DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Analysis Global load [Fig. 24]

Figure 24: Global load - Dead weight

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We create a distributed force load along the inner edge [Fig. 25] [Fig. 26].
DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Analysis Attach load [Fig. 25] [Fig. 26]
Viewer Viewpoints Isometric view 1
Viewer Fit all

Figure 25: Attach load Figure 26: Isometric view - Inner edge load

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2.6 Meshing
We assign the mesh properties to the plate by defining an element size of 0.5 m [Fig. 27].
DianaIE

Viewer Viewpoints Top View

Geometry Analysis Set mesh properties [Fig. 27]
Set mesh properties dialog < PREVIEW > [Fig. 28]

Figure 27: Set mesh properties Figure 28: Mesh properties preview

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Now, we can generate the finite element mesh [Fig. 29].
DianaIE

Main menu Geometry Analysis Generate mesh [Fig. 29]

Figure 29: Finite element mesh

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3 Linear Analysis
3.1 Analysis commands
We start by adding a new analysis (that we will call Linear) [Fig. 30]. We add to it a Structural linear static command to perform a linear static analysis [Fig. 31] [Fig. 32].
We run the analysis.
DianaIE

Main menu Analysis New Analysis

Analysis browser Right click ( ) Analysis1 Rename Linear [Fig. 30]
Analysis browser Right click ( ) Linear Add command Structural linear static [Fig. 31] [Fig. 32]
Main menu Analysis Run analysis

Figure 30: Analysis browser Figure 31: Command menu Figure 32: Analysis browser – Structural linear static

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3.2 Results
3.2.1 Displacements

To start with the assessment of the analysis results we present the contour plot of the vertical displacements DtZ due to the self-weight [Fig. 34].
DianaIE

Results browser Case gravity load [Fig. 33]

Results browser Output linear static analysis Nodal results Displacements DtZ [Fig. 33] [Fig. 34]

Figure 33: Results browser Figure 34: Vertical displacements

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We present the contour plot of the vertical displacements DtZ due to the distributed force along the inner edge [Fig. 36].

DianaIE

Results browser Case Inner edge load [Fig. 35]

Results browser Output linear static analysis Nodal results Displacements DtZ [Fig. 35] [Fig. 36]

Figure 35: Results browser Figure 36: Vertical displacements

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3.2.2 Bending Moments

We present the contour plot of the bending moments Mxx due to the distributed force along the inner edge [Fig. 38].

DianaIE

Results browser Output linear static analysis Element results Distributed Moments Mxx [Fig. 37] [Fig. 38]

Figure 37: Results browser Figure 38: Distributed bending moments Mxx

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We present the contour plot of the bending moments Myy due to the distributed force along the inner edge [Fig. 40].

DianaIE

Results browser Output linear static analysis Element results Distributed Moments Myy [Fig. 39] [Fig. 40]

Figure 39: Results browser Figure 40: Distributed bending moments Myy

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3.2.3 Reaction Forces

We present the vector plot of the vertical reaction forces FBZ for the inner edge load case [Fig. 42].
DianaIE

Results browser Output linear static analysis Nodal results Reaction Forces FBZ Right click ( ) Show vectors [Fig. 41] [Fig. 42]
Viewer Viewpoints Isometric view 1
Viewer Fit all

Figure 41: Results browser Figure 42: Vertical reaction forces

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Appendix A Additional information

Folder: Tutorials/HexagonalPlate

Number of elements ≈ 206

Keywords:
analys: linear static.
constr: suppor.
elemen: plate q12pl.
load: weight force.
materi: elasti isotro.
option: direct groups units.
post: binary ndiana.
pre: dianai.
result: displa moment.

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