Civil Combining Ansys Civilfem

© 2008 ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 ANSYS, Inc. Proprietary

2008 International ANSYS Conference

Combining the strengths of ANSYS Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM

Peter R. Barrett, P.E.Vice PresidentCAE Associates


Combining the strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM

• Challenges of Civil / Structural Engineers today:– Increase Construction efficiency– Save Material Costs– Extend the life of existing structures– Evaluate the Risks of Terrorist Events

• Solution– Develop more accurate structural analysis models– Develop automated analyses to save design time– Perform what if and design optimization tasks to create more

effective use of construction materials– Use the strengths of ANSYS Workbench and CivilFEM to achieve

these goals


What is CivilFEM?• CivilFEM is an integrated Pre- and Post-

processor to traditional ANSYS developed by ANSYS’s Spain distributor INGECIBER


CAE Associates• CAE Associates is one of the original ANSYS

channel partners and a CivilFEM channel partner with unique expertise in Civil Engineering


Combining the Strengths of Workbench and ANSYS/CivilFEM

• Topics Addressed– Comparison of Workbench & CivilFEM– Applications where integration makes sense– Customization without Programming– Sample Case Study– Summary


Comparison of Tool Strengths

• ANSYS Workbench: – Ease of use– Geometry manipulation– Graphics speed– CAD integration and

associativity– Robust meshing– Loads, BC application– Automatic assembly

and contact generation.– Uses ANSYS for

solution.

• ANSYS CivilFEM:– Automated Complex

analyses– Complex loading– Material Models– Specialized Post-

processing capabilities– Driven interactively or

with batch/input scripts– Uses ANSYS for

solution.


Workbench / ANSYS/CivilFEM FEA Road Map

CAD System (ProE,UG,SolidWorks,SolidEdge,Inventor,CATIA)

ANSYS & ANSYS / CivilFEM Solver

geometry + parameters

“Black Window” ANSYS

ANF file(geometry only)

Nodes, Elements, BCs, Materials, ~CivilFEM Command Blocks

DesignModeler

Simulation

ANSYS/CivilFEM Preprocessor

Workbench

geometry + parameters

ANF file (geometry only)

Nodes, Elements, BCs, Materials, ~CivilFEM commands

Nodes, Elements, BCs, Materials



• Workbench Strengths in Civil Engineering– Development of Parametric

Geometry models using DesignModeler and/or native CAD

– Defeaturing of CAD models – Robust Meshing– Named Selections for easy

interface with ANSYS/CivilFEM– Easy Accessibility to CivilFEM

features via command blocks



• CivilFEM Strengths– Nonlinear Bridge Simulation– Pre-stressed Concrete– Nuclear Applications– Geotechnical Applications including tunnelling– Built-in Material Models and Code Checking



• Applications where integration makes sense– 3-D Brick/Tet Modeling– Design of Experiments and/or Optimization

Applications– Model Defeaturing– Custom Material & Code Checking Required

• Customization without Programming• Accessing full suite of ANSYS and CivilFEM

options


Example Sequential Simulation

• Nonlinear Incremental Construction• Automated Tunneling



• CivilFEM Setup– Integrated Codes, Units, Materials


CivilFEM Materials – Command Block Example

• CivilFEM Material Library and Units commands Accessed in Workbench via Command Block



• Complex Material Laws – Concrete Cracking for Example


Simple Beam Example

• Using DesignModeler a 3-d Parametric I-Beam Model is created.

• Ex. Parameters– Flange Geom.

• Depth• Thickness

– Web thickness– Beam Ht


Simple Beam Example

• Example Command Block used to activate CivilFEM modules, define the CivilFEM working units and define material properties for the I-Beam


Simple Beam Example

• Command Block is listed in the DS.DAT file:


Simple Beam Example

• Example List of Material Properties



• Workbench Parametric Model Results• Postprocess in WB

– Stresses– Deflections– Section Cuts



• Example Beam Results from CivilFEM– Shear– Peak Stress– Section Data


CivilFEM Post Accessed via Command Blocks in Workbench

• Postprocessing of Solids for Design checking using CivilFEM Solids to Shells Automation via Command Blocks:

• ∼SD2SH, NodeComp, ElemComp, SHVTXNUM, SHPRONUM, MatReinf, CoverIn, CoverOut, Th, TolTh


CivilFEM Post Accessed via Command Blocks in Workbench

• Code Checking for Concrete Sections


CivilFEM Module Example - Seismic Analysis



• Current Capabilities of Workbench make it easy to access material laws from CivilFEM

• Current WB allows for all CivilFEM features to be accessed via Command Blocks

• Current CivilFEM allows a majority of its capabilities to be accessed via commands

• Models are easily passed to ANSYS / CivilFEM• More automated Integration is expected after the

release of WB2!

Documents

Civil Combining Ansys Civilfem