Tutorial 4:

Beam Elements

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Learning Objectives
• Create beam profiles
• Visualise wireframe geometry
• Post-Processing
o Operate on nodal data
o Modify the legend
o Specify the deformation scale

Learning Note: It is assumed that the previous basic tutorials and the
workshop have been completed and understood. Moving forward the tutorials
will contain less detail for concepts that have been explained previously, such
as importing geometry or applying a mesh.

Should anything be unclear then please refer to the previous tutorials.

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 Geometry Import
• Import the geometry Tutorial 4.igs

Material and Section Properties

• Create a material with the following properties;
o Modulus: 210 GPa
o Poisson’s: 0.3

To apply a beam section to a wireframe model first we need to create a beam

profile.

• Create a beam profile using the ‘Create Profile’ tool

• Select ‘box’ and enter the following dimensions;

o Width: 15
o Height: 10
o Thickness: 1

• Create a beam section with the profile and material created above leaving
all other options as default

• Apply the beam section to the geometry

As we are using a rectangular section beam profile, orientation of the beam is

critical. When assigning a beam orientation n1 and n2 refer to directions 1 and 2
respectively in the beam profile editor, i.e. n1 is the width and n2 the height. The
tangential orientation is assigned automatically to follow the beam.

We can assign a section to several beams at once, as long as the critical

dimension, n1, is orientated approximately in the same direction.

We wish for the width of the beam section to be orientated with the global y-axis,
therefore it is possible to assign sections to all horizontal and diagonal beams at
once.

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 • Using the ‘Assign Beam Orientation’ tool , select all the horizontal and
diagonal beams

• When prompted, specify an approximate n1 direction in the y-axis, i.e.

0,1,0

• Check that all the n1 directions (blue) are in the vertical direction, as
shown below, and confirm the input

It is possible to view the beam profile as they’ve been assigned. This is useful to
check whether the profile has been assigned correctly and also to visualise the
results when post-processing the model.

• Go to View > Part Display Options > Check ‘Render beam profile’

• Repeat the process with the vertical beams so that the n1 direction is
applied in the z-direction

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 Complete the Pre-Processing
• Instance the Assembly

• Create a Step;
o Nlgeom: On
o Initial Increment Size: 0.1
o Max Increment Size: 0.1

• Fully fix the model in all 6 degrees of freedom at 4 corners at one end, as
shown

• Apply a 1,000N concentrated force in the negative y-direction at the 4 corners

at the opposite end, as shown

We need to know whether the load applied to the 4 points is distributed evenly
between the points or applies the load separately to each individual point. We
can check this when post-processing the results.

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• Apply a 5mm mesh to the geometry

It is difficult to view a mesh on beam elements, even when rendering the beam
profile. The easiest way to assess the density of the mesh is when visualising the
seed size, prior to meshing the model.

• Create and submit a job

Visualise the Results

It may be difficult to visualise the results as beams so we may wish to render the
beam profiles again as these settings are not automatically carried over from the
pre-processor.

• Go to View > ODB Display Options > Render Beam Profiles

We mentioned previously that we want to know whether the concentrated load is

distributed over the 4 points it is applied to, to do this we can report the reaction
force at the boundary conditions. This may also be useful when troubleshooting a
model to check that the forces input balance with the reaction forces.

• Go to Tools > XY Data > Create > ODB field output

• Change the Position to ‘Unique Nodal’ and select the reaction force ‘RF2’ i.e.
RF in the y-direction

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 • In the Elements/Nodes tab ensure the method ‘Pick from Viewport’ is
highlighted then click ‘Edit Selection’

• In the viewport select the 4 nodes where the boundary conditions lie then
click ‘Done’ in the prompt area

• Click ‘Plot’ in the XY Data window

This gives us a result of the reaction force for each individual node. However, to
compare it to the load defined in the pre-processing it would be more useful to
show the total reaction force summed from the 4 nodes. We can do this using the
‘Operate on XY Data’ tool.

• Go to Tools > XY Data > Create > Operate on XY Data

The ‘Operate on XY Data’ window will include the 4 RF2 reaction forces that we
just created. Should these not appear in the window repeat the previous steps.

• In the equation editor box use the ‘sum( )’ function and include all 4 RF2
datasets

To include multiple datasets highlight them all then click ‘Add to Expression’

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 • Click ‘Plot Expression’

The graph shown indicated the reaction force in the y-direction, i.e. the force
reacting against the applied force. The graph indicated a 4,000N load, comparing
this to the 1,000N applied load we can now answer the question that the load is
applied separately to each node selected.

Reporting graphs and operating on XY data isn’t limited to reaction forces and is
often a useful tool to troubleshoot a model or to calculate values to determine
whether code compliance has been achieved.

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