What is a Stress Tensor and How is it Used in FEA Analysis?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the need for a simplified explanation of stress tensors for someone unfamiliar with the concept, particularly in the context of finite element analysis (FEA) for heat exchanger designs. The original poster seeks a basic resource, akin to "Tensor for Idiots," to aid their boss's understanding, as previous attempts to explain the topic were unsuccessful. A suggested analogy compares a stress tensor to a cube's surface, illustrating how normal and shear stresses affect the cube's shape. Visual aids are recommended to enhance comprehension. Overall, the conversation highlights the challenge of conveying complex engineering concepts to those without a technical background.
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Hello, I perform FEA (finite element analysis) and write massive amounts of VBA code in Access in order to streamline heat exchanger designs and I have a Boss with no experience with Tensors and the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Section VIII, Div. 2 requires one to calculate the Stress Tensor through the use of FEA software such as ANSYS. I have tried to explain Tensors to this man before and it resulted in catastrophe. Does anyone know of a very basic paper something on the order of "Tensor for Idiots" that I could use to help him (me) out?

Thanks
Matt
 
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Try this explanation, it's one I use frequently:

Just as a vector is typically pictured as an arrow, the stress tensor can be pictured as the surface of a cube. Each face has three directions associated with it: one normal to the surface and two which lie in the surface. The normal component corresponds to pressure which makes the cube larger or smaller, while the other two correspond to shear stress, which act to deform the cube into a parallelogram.

It helps if there's a pic to go along with the verbiage, for example:

http://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/def_en/kap_5/illustr/stress_tensor.gif
 
Thanks alot.
 
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