Software to model Bending/Stress/Strain

[bakoo]

Hey All

I am looking for some software that can be used to model the bending of a beam, and help gather information of stress, strain for force and any other information i can extract?

I have maple and mathcad but unsure how to model this if its possible?

MapleSim looks like it would do the trick, but can't get my hands on it as its only for Postgrads and Pro's at the moment.

My thoughts turned to Simulink, but again, wouldn't know if it was possible?

Thanks

 

[minger]

How complex would you like the geometries to be? If you are only doing 1D beams, then you could very easily write your own code. You won't have a fancy GUI, but it will be free and efficient.

 

[Topher925]

How complex would you like the geometries to be? If you are only doing 1D beams, then you could very easily write your own code. You won't have a fancy GUI, but it will be free and efficient.

True, as long as its 2D and for some simple cases 3D. If your looking to analyze some complex geometries then you will need some type of FEA software.

 

[bakoo]

I am looking to simply model a beam with one or two applied loads, calculate the stress, strains, force and deflections and extract what other information i can?

Could model it myself yeah, i know some C, well enough to do what i want...

I was thinking i could find some software to model other stuff as well though, mainly statics, dynamics and kinematics...

Bending, stress's, straings, torsions, etc...

All basic stuff, usually 1d or 2d max...

Surprised there isn't some software out already that can model basic mechanics

 

[Topher925]

there's plenty of software that can model basic mechanics, but its designed for more complex problems. Usually when it comes to the simple things people just write their own. you might be able to find a java script on the net that can do what you want but you will probably just have to end up writing your own. Unless that is you want to spend $30k for this fancy software, or maybe find a student version. I like COSMOS Express myself.

 

[FredGarvin]

Anyone who has taken an FEA class has had to write code for some simple geometries to do exactly what you are talking about. My undergrad FEA class had us doing a FORTRAN code to do all sorts of truss calculations. My grad FEA we didn't do any programming, but my prof shared a bunch pf his codes he did for his doctoral work. They weren't too terribly difficult to follow. The big thing is having the theoretical background to know what to do. It sounds like you should just look at buying one of the beam calculators you can get out there. For example:

http://kowalczuk_r.tripod.com/index.htm
http://www.soft4structures.com/products.html

 

[Hootenanny]

Bakoo please check your Private Messages.

 

[Enthalpy]

If you already have Mathcad or Maple, I'm pretty sure adequate packages have been written by users and are available for free. No programming effort, acceptable interface, little learning.

 

[SolidElast]

Oho! It is pleasant to answer. At my student life (2008) we used Mechanics of Materials Toolbox for Maple (I'v got it for home usage for free as a present from Department staff). But it was third party product from MapleConnect program. As I know Maplesoft closed this program. I use it very often by one reason. The FEM software gives only numeric solutions...
It works good (concerning Beam Bending, Torsion and Stretching) by symbolic notations also. About two or three years I did not listen about any support or development (by google searching). It seems it will be soon here (My friend from Waterloo University informed me a week ago. He spoke about something like free version, but I am not quite sure)
http://forum.orlovsoft.com/index.php?topic=8.0

 

[SolidElast]

Mechanics of Materials Toolbox for Maple.
Youtube screencast: http://youtu.be/czz_uw0918E
At installation process it requires activation code. It is necessary only
to submit hardware ID on detected e-mail and ask activation code for week, month or more...