What is the Best Element for Coupled Field Analysis with ANSYS?

[sosat1012]

I am trying to do a coupled field analysis, FLUID-Structure interaction. Wind strikes normally a panel covered by a very thin and flexible material that is polyethylene film and displacement of the film is what i need. The analysis is 2D. I create the flotran environment but when it comes to the structural one i am a little bit confused. That is because I am trying to find the proper 2D element for the film area that must have DOFs UX,UY AND ROTZ... that is because the film is both sided pinned (the need for rotz). I can solve the problem by using plane or solid elements no 2D element of this kind has rotational (rotz) degree of freedom. Shell elements do but i am a little bit confused with the thickness that is demanded (i need x direction to be ny thickness) ...what is the proper element to use?

airflow panel
----> '' (pinned)
----> |
----> |
----> | y
----> '' (pinned) |_ x

 

[minger]

I'm not sure exactly, but make sure you use an element which supports hyperelasticity, because depending on your loads, you may have some excessive deflections.

 

[sosat1012]

thanks Minger. Do you know if i could do a coupled analysis where the one is a 2D flotran analysis and the 2nd a structural analysis 1D...maybe i could use SHELL208 line elements that provide rotz as DOF and have hyperelasticity...but is this possible...??

 

[minger]

I'm pretty novice at ANSYS (only been working for a few months), and don't really know enough about element types to provide any useful information. Do let us know if you get it working though.

One suggestion is to register for the customer portal www1.ansys.com/customer IIRC, where they have a knowledge base and lots of example input files and such. All else fails, give em a call.