111Equation Chapter 1 Section 1212Equation Chapter 2 Section

1ISTANBUL AYDIN UNIVERSITY

MEN425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING

DESIGN

PROJECT III

STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN

L-BRACKET

ID :

Name-Surname :
MMOST425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DESIGN STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

1. OBJECTIVE
 Investigating stress singularities
 Grid control
 Perform analysis by creating different three-dimensional model
configurations
 Studying nodal stresses and element stresses
 To present the results of finite element analysis graphically

2. MATERIALS
 A PC with SolidWorks Simulation installed.

3. PROBLEM

An L-shaped bracket is supported from its upper surface as shown in

Figure 1 and force is applied on it. Displacements and stresses caused by
a bending load of 1000 N are to be calculated. In particular, the stress on
the edge in the inner corner will be emphasized. The corner rounding
radius will initially be neglected, since it is small in comparison with the
overall size of the model. However, with the numerical solutions to be
made, it will be shown that it is inaccurate to neglect the corner
rounding.

a. b.

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MMOST425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DESIGN STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

Figure 1.a) L-bracket geometry and b) boundary conditions

4. PROCEDURE

Create two separate configurations for two three-dimensional models of

the L-bracket part, with sharp corners and rounded corners, and name
these configurations 01 sharp edge and 02 round edge. For the second
configuration, a 3 mm rounding will be created in the inner corner of the
L-bracket and static analyses will be performed respectively for the two
configurations as indicated below.

Configuration 1- 01 sharp edge:

1- In the SolidWorks Simulation module, first open a new Static analysis

run in the 01 sharp edge configuration and name this static analysis
run mesh 1.

2- Assign alloy steel as the material.

3- Define a fixed geometry boundary condition on the top surface as

shown in Figure 1 above.

4- Apply the force of 1000 N to the surface as shown in the figure below.

5- Create a mesh for the default element size and start the analysis.

6- After the numerical solution is complete, do the following for the mesh
1 grid:

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MMOST425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DESIGN STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

a- Show the displacement contours (unit mm) and write down the
maximum displacement value in the mesh 1 row in Table 1 below.

b- Show the stress contours (unit N/mm2, MPa) and write the
maximum stress value on the same contour in the mesh 1 row of
Table 1 below.

7- In the next step, copy the mesh 1 static analysis study for the 01
sharp edge configuration and name the newly created static analysis
study mesh 2.

8- In the mesh 2 static analysis study, use the Mesh Control command to
apply a locally different element size than the global dimensions on the
inner corner line of the L-bracket (by default it applies half the element
size of the global element size). Repeat the analysis for the mesh in the
new state and write down the maximum displacement and stress
values in the mesh 2 row in Table 1 below.

9- As in Items 8 and 9 above, create the static analysis studies of mesh

3, mesh 4 and mesh 5 respectively for the 01 sharp edge configuration
and repeat the analyzes by making the local element dimensions on
the corner line half of the previous one for each. For these three
additional analyses, write down the maximum displacement and stress
values in the corresponding rows in Table 1 below.

Table 1 Results of solutions for different meshes in Sharp edge

configuration
Corner Number Maximum
Solution Change Maximum Change
element of displacement
network % stress [MPa] %
size [mm] elements [mm]
Mesh 1 2.8 --- ---
Mesh 2 1.4
Mesh 3 0.7
Mesh 4 0.35
Mesh 5 0.175

10- Given in Table 1 above using MS Excel

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MMOST425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DESIGN STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

a- Create a graph that gives the change of the maximum

displacement values with the mesh (horizontal axis mesh type,
vertical axis maximum displacement).

b- Create a graph that gives the change of the maximum stress values
with the mesh (horizontal axis mesh type, vertical axis maximum
stress).

c- Comment on the graphics.

Configuration 2- 02 round edge:

For the second configuration, a 3 mm rounding will be created in the

inner corner of the L-bracket and the static analyses will be repeated as
described below.

1- Create a new static analysis study by switching to the 02 round edge

configuration and name this new static analysis study round edge 1.

2- Open any of the previous static analysis studies (mesh1, mesh2,

mesh3, mesh4, or mesh5) and drag the Part1(Alloy Steel), Fixed-1, and
Force-1 headings, respectively, and drop them on the round edge 1 tab
at the bottom of the SolidWorks graphics window to transfer the
previous settings on material, fixture, and force load to the new static
analysis study.

3- In the round edge static analysis study, select Create Mesh by right-
clicking on the Mesh header. In the Mesh parameters menu, select

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MMOST425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DESIGN STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

Curvature-based mesh and set the Minimum numbers of element in a

circle parameter to 12. Thus, 3 elements are created for every 90⁰
rotation of a rounded edge:

4- Apply local element size on the rounded surface. To do this, right-click

on the Mesh heading in the tree menu on the left side and select Apply
Mesh Control. Then select the rounded surface in the corner. By
default, an element size of half the global element size is applied to
this surface.

5- For the 02 round edge configuration, perform the static analysis and
show the stress contours as element values. To do this, right-click on
the Stress1(von Mises) heading from the tree menu on the left side and
select the Edit Definition option and in the Stress plot menu that
opens, select the Element Values option under the Advanced options
heading.

6- For 02 round edge configuration, create finer grids using the

parameters given in Table 2 below and repeat the solutions. Write the
maximum values of displacement and stress in Table 2 below.

Table 2 Results for different meshes in round edge configuration

Local Maximum Maximum
Circular number Change Change
Mesh element displacement stress
of elements % %
size [mm] [mm] [MPa]
Round edge 1.4 12 --- ---
1
Round edge 0.70 20
2
Round edge 0.35 30
3
Round edge 0.175 30
4

7- Given in Table 2 above using MS Excel

a- Create a graph that gives the change of the maximum displacement

values with the mesh (horizontal axis mesh type, vertical axis
maximum displacement).

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MMOST425 COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING DESIGN STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF AN L-BRACKET

b- Create a graph that gives the change of the maximum stress values
with the mesh (horizontal axis mesh type, vertical axis maximum
stress).

c- Comment on the graphics.