Deflected cantilever beam stress, Ansys

In summary, the person is new to using FEM and Ansys and has modeled a cantilever beam with a vertical point load. They are confused by the resulting plot for stress in the y direction and have observed high positive and negative values near the top and bottom surface of the beam. They believe this may be due to the element formulation and suggest playing with keyopts or using 2nd order elements. They also mention that the high stress area may become thinner with mesh refinement and should not be mistaken for real stress. They note that there should not be any normal stress on the free edge.
  • #1
eveS
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I am a newcomer to FEM and Ansys, so forgive the possibly banal question:

I have modeled a cantilever beam with a vertical point load acting at the free end using Ansys (using a PLANE42 element) and am slightly confused about the resulting plot for stress in y direction (y being the axis pointing downwards) versus y coordinate in the central cross-section.

The stress is mostly approximately equal to zero (which makes sense) except near the top and bottom surface of the beam, where it jumps abruptly to, respectively, a high positive value, and a high negative value. How could this be explained?
 
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  • #2
I think this is an artifact of the element formulation. I've seen a similar thing in another package. Maybe play with the keyopts or change to the 2nd order elements.

If the width of the high stress area gets thinner with mesh refinement then it wouldn't be confused with a real stress so nothing to worry about. As well as you would't expect any normal stress on the free edge.
 

1. What is a deflected cantilever beam stress?

A deflected cantilever beam stress is a type of stress that occurs when a beam is supported at one end and has a load applied at the other end, causing it to bend or deflect. This type of stress is commonly seen in engineering and structural analysis.

2. How is deflected cantilever beam stress calculated?

Deflected cantilever beam stress can be calculated using the formula σ = (M*y)/I, where σ is the stress, M is the bending moment, y is the distance from the neutral axis, and I is the moment of inertia. This calculation can be done using tools such as Ansys, which uses finite element analysis to determine the stress distribution along the beam.

3. What is the role of Ansys in analyzing deflected cantilever beam stress?

Ansys is a software program commonly used by engineers and scientists to simulate and analyze the behavior of structures under different conditions. In the case of deflected cantilever beam stress, Ansys can be used to model the beam and apply various loads and constraints to determine the stress distribution and potential failure points.

4. What are the factors that affect deflected cantilever beam stress?

There are several factors that can affect deflected cantilever beam stress, including the magnitude and location of the applied load, the length and cross-sectional shape of the beam, and the material properties of the beam. Other factors such as temperature, vibrations, and external forces can also impact the stress on the beam.

5. How can deflected cantilever beam stress be minimized?

To minimize deflected cantilever beam stress, engineers can make design adjustments such as changing the beam's cross-sectional shape or material, or adding support or reinforcement to critical areas. Using advanced analysis tools such as Ansys can also help identify potential stress points and optimize the design for maximum strength and minimum stress.

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