Explicit FEA software is a powerful tool to model dynamic structures and transient loading. They are, time-consuming and difficult to troubleshoot. Often, FEA engineers apply simplifications to reduce model size computational expense. It’s essential that these simplifications applied to produce accurate results. A common error is reducing the model […]
FEA Engineering
10 posts
Explosive hazards are prevalent in many industries. The source of these explosions can be accidental or malevolent. Regardless, site personnel need protection from these hazards. Blast-resistant buildings shield workers and critical assets from blast effects. In this post, we highlight Finite Element Analysis, and its application in the design of Blast Resistant Buildings. In this post we'll cover: Basic blast loading design concepts, differences between hand calculations and FEA, and blast analysis using FEA
Evaluating Tornado Missiles for RIS 2015-06? We’re going to help make it a little more intuitive. Tornado strikes might not be as bad as you once thought.
Most structures and their loads are symmetric. In these cases it's possible to take advantage of symmetry to simplify your Finite Element Analysis and reduce run time. In this blog we'll: Discuss benefits of using symmetry in FEA, provide a primer in symmetry theory, and Work through a FEA case study using symmetry.
Using structural shell elements in finite element analyses saves computational time when analyzing thin-walled parts and structures. But engineers and analysts require experience to best utilize the output. Unlike solid elements, where stresses are typically straightforward to understand, the analyst must be even more careful and be mindful of several questions when interpreting shell element stresses.
Pound on a bone with enough force and it’ll break. Just where, though, depends on whether or not bone behaves like other structural materials. Researchers have long guessed it did—but they didn’t really know. Bone is famously strong stuff, surpassing reinforced concrete when it comes to withstanding compression forces.
Modeling how products, buildings, and structures hold up under everyday use involves solving intractable partial differential equations that calculate stresses under myriad loads. Using FEA is sometimes the only solution, but as always, the tool is only as good as the craftsman.
Once commissioned tanks, pipes and pressure vessels begin to corrode. Periodic inspections identify degraded regions. Engineers then assess the reduced safety margins and determine if repairs are necessary. This process is known as a Fitness for Service (FFS) Assessment. Finite Element Analysis can be used to aid in FFS assessments by predicting stresses in complex geometry with large areas of wall thinning.
It's a battle as old as Finite Element Analysis. How do you achieve accurate results while balancing size and solve time of a FEA model? Simple models may solve quickly, but are the results accurate? And, complex models may provide very accurate results, but solve time could be hours or even days. In this blog we'll discuss Convergence & Mesh Independence and see how it relates to this age-old battle.
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool for evaluating complex structural problems. Like all analytical software, bad results stem from bad input. We call it the "Garbage in, Garbage Out" principle of FEA. Sometimes, with perfect inputs, you can still get the wrong answer using FEA. There are a lot of ways that your finite element analysis can take a wrong turn. So how do you know if your results are correct? The answer is validation and verification (V&V). This week we'll apply V&V to a simple beam bending problem.
