WORKSHOP 17

Inertia Relief

Objectives:
■ Create a free-free structure under a line load

■ Perform static analysis using inertia relief

■ Examine the effect of the support point

■ Compare results

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-1

17-2 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

Summary:
Inertia relief is an advanced option in MSC.Nastran that allows you to
simulate unconstrained structures in a static analysis. Typical
applications of inertia relief include modeling an aircraft in flight, an
automobile on a test track, or a satellite in space. Static analysis by the
finite element method assumes that the model contains no
mechanisms and may not move as a rigid body (strain free). If either
of these conditions exists in a conventional finite element analysis, the
stiffness matrix for the model becomes singular. When MSC.Nastran
attempts to decompose a singular matrix, a fatal message or
unreasonable answers result.

Consequently, conventional finite element static analysis cannot be

performed on unconstrained structures. However, a method called
inertia relief is provided in MSC.Nastran for analyzing these
conditions. A simple description of inertia relief is that the inertia
(mass) of the structure is used to resist the applied loadings, that is, an
assumption is made that the structure is in a state of static equilibrium
even though it is not constrained.

To invoke inertia relief, you must provide a SUPORT Bulk Data entry
with a list of six non-redundent degrees of freedom that describe the
possible unconstrained motion. The easiest way to describe how to
use the SUPORT entry in static analysis is if you hold the SUPORT
degrees of freedom constrained, there is no possible rigid body
motion. If all possible rigid body motion is not described on the
SUPORT entry, then the stiffness matrix is singular, and the problem
either fails in decomposition or gives unreasonable answers.

When inertia relief is specified, MSC.Nastran calculates the forces

that result form a rigid body acceleration of the SUPORT degrees of
freedom in the specified directions. MSC.Nastran then calculates the
summation of all applied loadings in the same directions.
Accelerations are applied to the structure in the SUPORT directions to
"balance" the applied loads is 0.0. Since the problem is not
constrained, rigid body displacement is still possible.

The next step performed by MSC.Nastran is to constrain the SUPORT

degrees of freedom to a displacement of 0.0 and provide the relative
motion of all other grid points with respect to the reference point. The
computed solution is the correct one, and it is relative to any rigid body
motion that is occurring. A simple way to think of this is that the
solution coming from MSC.Nastran represents the deformation of the
structure you would see if you were standing at the SUPORT degrees
of freedom.

In addition to the SUPORT entry, PARAM, GRDPNT, x and PARAM,

INREL, -1 are also needed. The value x is the grid point where the
SUPORT point is specified. The inertia relief method requires that a
realistic mass distribution exists, and the degrees of freedom listed on

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-3

 the SUPORT entry must be connected elastically to the model in all
specified degrees of freedom. (For example, degrees of freedom 4, 5,
and 6 on a grid point with only solid element attached cannot be used
since solid elements have no stiffness in these degrees of freedom.)

Whenever a SUPORT entry is used in static analysis, the epsilon and

strain energy printed in the table from UIM 3035 should be checked.
The values printed for epsilon and strain energy in the UIM 3035 table
should all be numeric zero (for a definition of numeric zero, see
Appendix A). The strain energy printed in this table for matrix KLR
represents the strain energy in the model when the one SUPORT
degree of freedom is moved 1.0 unit, while all other SUPORT degrees
of freedom are constrained. If the SUPORT degrees of freedom are
properly specified, the model should be capable of rigid body motion
(strain-free) with no strain energy.

The values printed for the strain energy indicate the ability of the
model to move as a rigid body. These values should always be
checked. If the structure is not constrained, the values should be
numeric zero, but roundoff almost always results in a small nonzero
value.
5

10
4

10
3

10
2

10
1

5000

The four CBEAM structure is to be analyzed as a free-free structure

with a thrust force acting in the Y-direction as shown and using inertia
relief. To show the effect of the SUPORT point, two runs are made,
each with a different SUPORT grid point. All six degrees of freedoms
for the SUPORT point are placed on one grid point as required for
Solution 101. The parameter INREL is set to -1, and the parameter
GRDPNT is set to the SUPORT point, which is grid point 1 in this
case.
17-4 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

Suggested Exercise Steps:

■ Open a new database, prob17a

■ Create a curve 40 units in length

Geometry: Create: Curve: XYZ

Vector Coordinate List <0, 40, 0>

Origin Coordinate List [0, 0, 0]

■ Mesh the curve with bar 2 elements and global edge length of 10
Finite Element: Create: Mesh: Curve

■ Define a material called mat_1

Materials: Create: Isotropic: Manual Input

Elastic Modulus = 30e6

Poisson Ratio = 0.3

Elastic Modulus = 0.286

■ Specify the cross sectino properties by using beam library

Properties: Create: 1D: Beam

Options: Tapered Section

1

.15

2
0.1

.15

■ Generate a concentrated thrust load in the basic Y-direction

Load/BC: Create: Force: nodal

Force: <0, 500, 0>

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-5

 ■ Create MSC.Nastran static analysis input file. Activate SUPORT
entry, PARAM, GRDPNT, x and PARAM, INREL, -1.
Analysis: Analyze: Entire Model: Analysis Deck

Solution Type: Linear Static

Solution Parameters:

■ Inertia Relief
Wt-Mass Conversion 0.00259

Node id. for Wt. Generation 1

■ The following SUPORT entry will be created for inertia relief analysis
SUPORT, 1, 123456

PARAM, GRDPNT, 1

PARAM, INREL, -1

PARAM, WTMASS, 0.00259

17-6 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook

WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-7

17-8 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-9

17-10 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-11

17-12 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
 WORKSHOP 17
 (Relative to GRID 1)
 Relative Displacement


Inertia Relief

 Compressive
 force


MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
17-13
17-14 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

■ In this exercise, we will examine the displacement and element forces

relative to GRID 3

prop 17b

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-15

17-16 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook
WORKSHOP 17 Inertia Relief

MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook 17-17

17-18 MSC.Nastran 105 Exercise Workbook