The main panels used in this process are the HyperBeam panel for the definition of beam cross-section,
and the collectors panel for assigning the computed values to actual beam elements. For more
information regarding a specific panel, refer to the Panels section of the HyperMesh on-line help, or click
the HyperMesh help button while in the panel to activate its context-sensitive help.
This tutorial requires about 45 minutes to complete and uses a file located in the
<install_directory>/tutorials/hm/ directory. For detailed instructions on how to locate the
installation directory <install_directory> at your site, see Finding the Installation Directory
<install_directory> or contact your systems administrator.
The model geometry represents different types of cross-sections used in this tutorial – standard, shell,
and solid. The model consists of a solid cylinder attached to a hollow trapezoidal structure, which is
further joined to an irregularly shaped solid component (see image below).
HyperBeam is a HyperMesh module that allows you to define and calculate the beam cross-sectional
properties of simple as well as complex models to represent them as simple bar/beam elements.
Modeling beam cross-sections is a three-step process in HyperMesh. First use HyperMesh (HyperBeam
panel) to define the beam cross-section. A variety of entities can be used (lines, elements, or surfaces)
unless you want to use a standard section, in which case, entities are not required. Then use the
HyperBeam module to complete the definition of your beam section and obtain the properties. Finally,
return to HyperMesh to assign the beam properties calculated in HyperBeam to a property collector, and
to assign this property collector to 1-D elements.
Three types of sections can be modeled using HyperBeam: standard sections, shell sections, and solid
sections.
• Shell sections are used for thin-walled cross-sections. A shell section is defined by a set of
entities (lines or elements) that represent the mid-plane of the thin-walled section. The thickness
of the section is specified in HyperBeam. An example of this type of section is an irregular box
section. Note that you can create both open and closed thin-walled sections.
• A solid section is defined by a set of entities (lines, elements, or surfaces) that form a closed
loop. HyperBeam creates a mesh in the area enclosed by the curves and calculates the
properties using this mesh.
HyperBeam calculates the section properties with respect to the centroid of the cross-section, and also
with respect to a user-defined system. The properties are saved along with the HyperMesh file and can
be retrieved at any point. If you expect to repeatedly use a user-defined section in different models, it can
be saved for subsequent retrieval in a different HyperMesh model.
In this section, retrieve the model for this tutorial and load the Nastran user profile. Since a property
collector will be created, a template must be loaded.
1. Using the files panel, retrieve the file hyperbeam.hm from the
<install_directory>/tutorials/hm/ directory.
2. From the Geom page, use the user profile… button to load the Nastran user profile.
The model geometry represents different types of cross-sections: standard, shell, and solid. You will
create a standard circular section to represent the cross-section of the cylinder, a shell section created
with lines to represent the cross-section of the hollow trapezoidal feature, and a solid section created with
lines to represent the cross-section of the solid irregular feature.
In this section, use the standard section sub-panel of the HyperBeam panel to quickly model a solid
circular section.
To define a circular cross-section, HyperBeam requires the diameter of the cross-section as input.
Measure the diameter of the section before invoking HyperBeam using the distance panel from the
Geom page.
1. Create three nodes on the circle defining the base of the solid cylinder using the create nodes panel
from the Geom page.
- Click create.
This generates three nodes on the line, two of which are located at the same location (since the
circular line is a line that closes upon itself). With the two independent locations left, you can
measure the diameter.
2. Use the distance panel from the Geom page to measure the distance between the two nodes
diametrically opposed.
- For N1 and N2, pick the two nodes that are diametrically opposed.
The distance between the two nodes, which is the diameter of the circle, is displayed in the
diameter = field and reads 110 units.
- Click the switch and select the solid circle option from the pop-up menu.
- Click create.
The HyperBeam window is launched with a solid circle cross-section displayed in the center
pane. The left pane (Section Browser) lists the cross-sections defined in the model and the right
pane (Results Window) displays the results for the various beam properties computed for the
dimensions displayed.
Note: For detailed information on HyperBeam, see the HyperBeam section in the HyperMesh
User's Guide / Building Models / Calculating Beam Properties on-line help.
4. Modify the diameter of the cross-section and assign the value measured earlier.
- Click the value shown in the figure to highlight it.
Note: Alternatively, you could drag the graphical handles that represent the diameter of the
cross-section until the diameter changes to the desired value.
5. Assign the name Solid Circle to this cross-section in the Section Browser.
- In the Section Browser, click the name of the cross-section under the auto1 folder.
- Type in Solid Circle and press ENTER.
- Click Save.
7. Use the File menu to Exit HyperBeam and return to HyperMesh. Click Yes in the confirmation box.
The information that was computed is automatically stored in a beamsect collector with the name you
specified for the section. This beamsect collector is later used to populate the fields of a property
card.
Note: Since geometry information was available, this cross-section could have been defined as a solid
section using the solid section sub-panel. A standard section was used instead because it did
not require selection, although it required a diameter measurement.
You may save your HyperMesh model to your working directory at this point.
In this section a beam cross-section for standard sections was created using HyperBeam. You also
learned how to specify the dimensions for the standard section, and how to save this section for
subsequent use.
In this section, the shell section sub-panel of the HyperBeam panel is used to model a beam section for
the trapezoidal feature of the geometry.
Use the lines in the pre-defined component shell_section to define the section. Note that these lines are
located at the mid-plane of the trapezoidal geometry. In addition to these lines, HyperBeam also requires
the thickness of the feature as input to calculate the shell section properties.
You can use various panels, such as the distance panel, to find the thickness of this feature. The
thickness of the feature is equal to two units.
- Select the shell_section collector from the list and click select.
Note: The cross section plane: option allows the software to define the plane for calculating beam
cross-sectional properties based on the entity (lines/element) selection. A user-controlled
plane can also be defined by changing the cross-section plane using the toggle.
When using the fit to entities: option you can select a reference node for the plane if you
want properties about a point other than the section centroid. This is done using the plane
base node: option. This node defines the origin of the coordinate system that serves as the
reference when computing the various beam cross-section properties. All the properties are
calculated both about the centroid and about the node you select.
The values for the beam properties computed in the Results Window are updated.
In this section, experiment with some of the HyperBeam editing tools on the shell section. Use the edit
section sub-panel to load the shell section back into HyperBeam and modify its dimensions and
geometry.
HyperMesh saves the geometry and property data of a shell section in beamsect collectors. This data is
used to restore the section in HyperBeam and hence modify it.
1. Load the Trapezoidal Section cross-section back into HyperBeam using the edit section sub-panel.
- Click beamsect and select Trapezoidal Section from the list of beam section collectors.
- Click edit.
HyperBeam is displayed with the selected cross-section. Note that the state of the cross-section
is retained and shows the dimensions used when the section was last saved.
Some of the typical changes to a section involve:
The options in the Tools menu of the HyperBeam window allow you to perform advanced
modifications such as breaking segments, joining segments, creating parts, moving vertices, etc.
Detailed information on these tools can be found in the , HyperBeam section of the HyperMesh
User's Guide / Building Models / Calculating Beam Properties on-line help. You can also click Help
on the menu bar to directly access this information.
These options can be invoked using either the Tools menu or the icons on the right of the toolbar.
Use the Break a Segment option to divide the segment 1-4 (defined by vertices 1 and 4) and use the
Move Vertices option to move the new vertex formed to make the section look like a pentagon.
Breaking a segment
Note: Breaking a segment amounts to adding a vertex, which can be useful in changing the
geometry and properties of a cross-section. Since this does not break a part, it will not affect
the thickness that is applied to the current part.
To turn on and off vertices, use the Vertex IDs option from the View menu.
Moving a vertex
This operation moves vertex 5 to a new location and the section now resembles a pentagon.
Note how the centroid and shear center change as well as the beam properties. A new
cross-section has been created, a new design for which the properties could be closer or further
from intended values. This tool can be used in the initial stages of design to achieve the
functional requirement of a component.
When beams have the same cross-section, but are rotated by an angle, it is possible to easily
- Click OK.
The origin of the user-defined coordinate system is now at the centroid of the cross-section, and
all the properties calculated with respect to this system and the centroid system are identical.
The properties calculated with respect to the user-defined system are the ones that can be
automatically passed to property collectors. This allows you to obtain the properties at the
centroid of the cross-section.
5. Specify the y-axis as pointing from the origin to vertex 2 using the Reorient Shell Section dialog.
- Under Specify y-axis choose origin to vertex and enter 2 in the field.
- Click OK.
The orientation of the shell section is changed such that the y-axis is now aligned with the origin
and vertex 2. All the properties are updated as well as the definition of the centroid and shear
center.
In this section, model the irregular solid feature of the geometry as a solid section using the solid section
sub-panel of the HyperBeam panel.
The input for a solid section can be 2-D elements, surfaces, or a set of lines that form a closed area. Use
the lines in the solid_section collectors to define the solid section.
- Select the solid_section collector from the list and click select.
- Select a node within the area formed by the lines by holding the left mouse button down until a
line or the surface highlights and then click anywhere on the highlighted entity.
This option tells HyperBeam to use 1st order (linear) elements to calculate the properties of the
section.
Solid section
The properties of sections are stored in beamsect collectors and in the current model database file.
Additionally, they can be exported to a text file using a right mouse click in the Results Window.
Finally, when a beam section is to be used in different HyperMesh models, the properties can also be
exported as a Beam Section File (.bm)using the File menu, Export Selection… option. This file can
be loaded in any HyperMesh model using the import sub-panel of the files panel.
2. Export the properties to a text file using the right mouse button in the Results Window.
- Position the mouse cursor in the Results Window.
A Save As file browser displays to allow you to select an output location and name for the text file.
- Save the file to your working directory using any name.
A file is saved with the information displayed as it appears in the Results Window. You can open
this file with any text editor to review the information it contains.
In HyperMesh, you can easily assign the beam properties computed in HyperBeam and stored in a
beamsect collector to your solver beam property card. To achieve this, simply create a property collector
with the solver beam property card of interest, and assign the beamsect collector to the property collector.
When creating an actual beam element, simply assign the property collector to the element itself.
1. Create a property collector with a PBEAM card and assign the Solid Circle beamsect collector to it.
- Create/edit a props collector with name = standard_section, card image = PBEAM, and
material = steel.
- In the card previewer, click beamsec twice and select Solid Circle from the list of beamsect
collectors defined in the model.
The properties calculated using HyperBeam are automatically assigned to the PBEAM card.
Observe that the values of the parameters (A, I1a, I2a, I12a, J, etc.) are extracted from the
properties of the selected section.
2. Create a beam element in the bars panel with a direction vector set to the global x-axis and using
the standard_section property.
- Click the lower left switch and select vectors as the option to define the orientation of the beam.
- Release the left mouse button and select two nodes at the ends of the line for node A and node
B.
The beam element is created and placed into the beam component.
Note: When creating beam elements, the z-axis is defined by the two nodes selected as node
A and node B. The direction of the cross-section (x or y axis) is defined either by using
components, vectors, or a direction node. Due to the nature of this solid circle, how you
define the x or y axis is unimportant.
Changes made to a beamsect collector (for example, through editing of a cross-section) are also
automatically applied to any property collector referencing this beamsect collector.
This concludes this tutorial. You may discard this model, or keep it for your own reference.
In this tutorial, you experimented with the tools and techniques for modeling beam cross-section and
obtaining their properties using HyperBeam. You learned how to edit cross-sections and assign their
properties to property collectors, which can then be assigned to 1-D elements.
For more details on how to create 1-D elements, review the tutorials, Creating 1-D Elements - HM-3000
and Connecting Components with 1-D Elements - HM-3010. Additional techniques for creating 1-D
elements from connector entities are discussed in the tutorial, Creating Connectors - HM-3400.