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ENGI 7706/7934: Finite Element Analysis

Abaqus CAE Tutorial 1: 2D Plane

Truss Lab TA: Xiaotong Huo EN 3029B xh0381@mun.ca

Download link for Abaqus student edition:

http://academy.3ds.com/software/simulia/abaqus-student-edition/

Problem Statement:

Consider the simple six-bar pin-jointed structure shown. All members have the same

cross-sectional area (A = 0.001 m2) and elastic modulus (E = 200 GPa). The load P of

20 kN acts at an angle of 30 degrees from the vertical. The structure dimensions are in

meters. Use ABAQUS to solve for the nodal displacements, element stresses and

reaction forces.

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1.2.2 ABAQUS CAE Procedure – Preliminary Steps

Create Working Directory Create Working Directory

Open Abaqus CAE

Set Work Directory

File > Set Work Directory

Select Directory Created in step 1.1.

1.2.3 Create Part (Module: Part)

Click Create Part Icon

Name Part “Truss”

Select:

2D Planar

Deformable

Wire

Set Approximate Size to 50.

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Click Create Isolated Points

Enter the following coordinates (appearing in bottom left corner of drawing

window)

Node X Y

1. 0 0 (Press Enter)

2. 4 0 (Press Enter)

3. 0 3 (Press Enter)

4. 4 3 (Press Enter)

5. 2 2 (Press Enter)

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Click Create Lines icon

Join Node 1 with 2 , Node 2 with 5, Node 5 with 4, Node 4 with 2 (now right

click and cancel procedure)

Again, click create lines icon and join Node 3 with 5, and 5 with 1 (right

click and cancel procedure)

Click on “Auto Fit View” appearing on window top, click “Done” appearing

in window bottom

1.2.4 Material and Geometric or Section Properties (Module: Property)

Select Property from the Module Drop-Down Menu

Click Create Material Icon

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Enter Material Name “Elastic”

Select Mechanical > Elasticity > Elastic

Enter Young’s Modulus = 200e9, Poisson’s Ratio = 0.3

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Click Create Section Icon

Name Section “Truss”

Select Category “Beam”

Select Type “Truss”… Continue

Select Material “Elastic”

Set Cross-sectional Area = 0.001… OK

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Click Assign Section Icon

Select the Truss by holding left mouse key and selecting the entire truss…

Done

Select Section Truss… OK...Done

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1.2.5 Instance, Part and Model Generation (Module: Assembly)

Select Assembly from the Module Drop-Down Menu

Click Instance Part Icon

Accept Defaults… OK

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1.2.6 Define Load Step Conditions (Module: Step)

Select Step from the Module Drop-Down Menu

Click Create Step Icon

Name Step “ApplyForce”

Accept Defaults (Procedure Type: General > Static, General)… Continue

Enter Description “Apply Force to Truss Element at an Angle”

Accept Defaults on “Basic” Tab

Select “Incrementation” Tab

Enter Increment Size: Initial = 0.1… OK

1.2.7 Apply Essential and Natural Boundary Conditions (Module: Load)

Select Load from the Module Drop-Down Menu

Click Create Load Icon

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Name Load “CLOAD”

Select Category: Mechanical > Type Concentrated Force

Select Node 2 (x = 4, y = 0) … Done

Enter CF1 = 10000 (10.0 kN)

Enter CF2 = 17320 (17.3 kN)… OK

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Click Create Boundary Condition Icon

Name BC “Fixed”

Select Step: ApplyForce

Select Category: Mechanical > Type: Displacement/Rotation… Continue

Select Node 1 (x = 0, y = 0)… Done

Select Boxes to Left of U1, U2 and UR3

Accept Defaults (U1=U2=UR3=0)… OK

6.3.7. Repeat the procedure from 6.3 to 6.3.6 for Node 3 ( x = 0, y = 3) and

Node 4 ( x =4, y = 3) [ Name boundary conditions to fixed 2 and fixed 3

respectively for these 2 nodes]

1.2.8 Mesh Generation (Module: Mesh)

Select Mesh from the Module Drop-Down Menu

Select Part: Truss (to Right of Module Drop Down)

Click Seed Part Instance Icon

Enter Approximate Global Size = 4 (As maximum truss length is 4 (truss1),

and we will begin with one element)… OK… Done (bottom)

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Click Assign Element Type Icon

Select the entire truss by holding down left mouse key and selecting all 6

elements. Click Done. From the Default Element Library: Standard and

Geometric Order: Linear, Select Family: Truss… OK…Done

Click Mesh Part Icon… Yes (Bottom)

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1.2.9 Field Output and Post-Processing Options (Module: Model Tree)

Edit Field output… Select required output data Expand Field Output

Requests

Right-Click “F-Output-1”… Edit

Toggle On/Off Until Selected Output Variables are S (Stresses), E (Total

Strains), UT (Translations), and RT (Reaction Forces)… Accept Other

Defaults… OK

1.2.10 Submit ABAQUS Job (Module: Job)

Click Create Job Icon

Name Job “Truss”… Continue

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Accept Defaults… OK

Click Job Manager Icon

Click Submit

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Click Monitor to View Solution Progress

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1.2.11 Post-Processing and Data Analysis (Module: Visualization)

Dismiss Monitor

Click Results (enters Module: Visualization)

Click; Allow multiple plot states , Plot Undeformed shape, Plot Deformed

shape, Plot Contours on Deformed shape

10.3. Click “Result” in the top menu, select “Options” and unselect

“Average element output at nodes”

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To make the visualization more prominent and to give element and node

numbers, the following steps should be followed: Click on View in the top

menu, select Graphics Options. In the Viewport Background Tab select

“Solid” and change color to “White” (click on blacktile to change

background color). Click Apply, OK.

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10.6 For labelling Nodes and Elements Click on Options in the top menu,

click Common, select `labels` tab, select ‘Show element labels’ and ‘Show

node labels’ and set label colors to black. Hit Apply, OK.

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Click on Report in the top menu and select. “Field Output => Variable =>

Position: Unique Nodal => select U: Spatial Displacements => Apply =>

Unselect U

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After unselecting U, change “Position“ in the same pop up window to

“Centroid”. Select S: Stress Components => Click on ‘>’ and unselect all

stresses except S11 => Apply.OK

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Open file ‘abaqus.rpt’ placed on the desktop and cut and paste desired

results into MS Word

The following set of results will be generated; highlighting Nodal

Displacements and Nodal Stresses