TAGGED: apdl-commands, mechanical, membrane, structural, workbench
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February 7, 2021 at 9:25 pm
A_Sarafraz
SubscriberDear all,
I am a naive user, trying to model a circular pre-strained membrane using Ansys Workbench. I could model the circular membrane using a surface body, then using the static structural and modal analysis to find the effects of external pressure on the fundamental frequency. Everything is fine, but I found that the workbench uses shell181 elements, which, by default, incorporates bending stiffness in the analysis. I want to remove the effects of bending stiffness.
I searched for that, and I found that I can add commands to the model as
ET,matid,181
KEYOPT,matid,1,1
However, then running the model leads to a solver pivot error.
When I also tried to use other shell elements other than the default shell181, like shell41 as
ET,matid,41
it ends in the same error. What should I do?
February 8, 2021 at 6:51 am1shan
Ansys EmployeenCould you try turning the Large deflection option (under solver controls) to ON and check if the error persists. Also check out this discussion /forum/discussion/7042/connection-between-shell-element-and-link-element. You could also try using a plane strain formulation in workbench. Please follow this discussion /forum/discussion/21217/2d-element-type-in-workbench.nRegards,nIshannFebruary 8, 2021 at 11:05 amA_Sarafraz
SubscriberHell nThanks for the answer. The large deformations are on. The error is still there. I intend to do it by membrane elements and not a 2D plane strain formulation. It shows the following error:nI used XZ-plane for drawing my circular membrane; thus, Y-direction is the transverse displacement direction. I checked node 599, and it is in the middle of the domain and not on the boundary. Do you have any suggestions?nAs my thickness is shallow, I expect no difference between shell and membrane analysis, but I want to see it in my results.n
February 8, 2021 at 12:55 pmErik Kostson
Ansys EmployeeSee if this discussion helps :nnSee if this discussion helps :nnnFebruary 8, 2021 at 3:22 pmA_Sarafraz
SubscriberMany Thanks nHowever, no, it did not help.nFebruary 9, 2021 at 6:14 am1shan
Ansys EmployeenShell 181 with KEYOPT(1) = 1 has no bending stiffness, a condition that can result in solver and convergence problems. For example if your circular membrane is along xz and the pressure is along the y direction, you would have a moment at the first iteration but no reaction forces (since the element are laid out in the normal plane) and no bending moments (since bending stiffness is zero). This results in a pivot error. You could try adding 2 load steps (under analysis settings), the first one with an in-plain force. Then the second one with the actual pressure and the in-plain force reduced to zero. Also try using a curved membrane (this worked for me) instead of the flat membrane.nFor additional documentation regarding shell181 refer the help documentation SHELL181 (ansys.com)nnRegards,nIshan.nFebruary 10, 2021 at 3:18 pmA_Sarafraz
SubscriberYou are right. Having a slightly curved initial configuration solved the pivot error problem. However, then I have a diveverged solution problem. To be honest, I meanwhile used Comsol and solved my problem by checking the difference between membrane analysis and shell analysis and both of them were the same as Ansys shell analysis. Thus, I just stopped simulating membrane using Ansys workbench.nBests,nAlinFebruary 10, 2021 at 5:05 pmErik Kostson
Ansys EmployeeIt can be very difficult to get membrane elements to converge, so what we do is:n2 step solutionnfirst step apply some initial pre-strain/stress , to build up out of plane stiffness in the membrane (see the post I mentioned above - so using inistate command)nsecond, apply the external out of plane loads.nnAll the bestnnEriknFebruary 11, 2021 at 8:48 amA_Sarafraz
SubscriberDear nIt solved the problem. Although I have solved my own problem using Comsol, it is really nice to learn Ansys. I am now eager to learn APDL as well and its commands.nBest regards,nAlinFebruary 11, 2021 at 11:24 amErik Kostson
Ansys EmployeeThat is great to hear .nnAll the bestnnEriknViewing 9 reply threads- The topic ‘How to use membrane elements in Workbench’ is closed to new replies.
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