Objective:

The student will be introduced to the use of simple and more sophisticated
analytical tools in the design of structures.
Module 3.4: Analysis methods for structures
1
Scope: Spreadsheet tools, Finite Element Analysis, Design guideline formulas

Expected result:
Demonstrate use of a spreadsheet based calculation system in the design of a
structural system.
Explain the basis for selecting an appropriate analysis method for a design
situation.
Explain the advantages, disadvantages and uses of different analysis methods.
Explain the use and interpretation of finite element results for steel structures
design.
Correctly interpret and understand the use of design guideline formulas for
calculation of design strength and design load.

IWSD M3.4
2
IWSD M3.4
Analysis methods
Handbook calculations
Manual calculations for guidance in standards or regulations
Calculation based on analytical equations

Spreadsheet
Internally developed or purchased from software vendors

Finita element method analysis:
Own developed, in house, and commercial
3
IWSD M3.4
Handbook calculations
Can, for example, be used for rough estimates of stresses and
deformations in two-dimensional problems
Recommended literature
Konstruktionshandboken fr
svetsade produkter, Claes Olsson
KTH:s formelsamling i hllfasthet
Roarks formula for stress and strain
SSAB plthandbok
BSK2007
4
IWSD M3.4
Handbook calculations
Used:
In the calculation of less complex structures
If you want to get a better understanding for the structural function
Assessing if the results are reasonable
As an initial rough estimates
In general, the design code based analysis
When checking the FE analysis
5
IWSD M3.4
Handbook calculations
Advantages:
Requires no expensive / complicated software's
Can be performed anywhere
Easy to assure the quality
You always know what to do
Ensures necessary knowledge of the analyst
Usually the quick method
Increases gradually the knowledge of the person performing the
analyzes
6
IWSD M3.4
Handbook calculations
Disadvantages:
Can only be applied to less complex structures
Can be time consuming if you are not overlooking the size of the
problem from the beginning
Risk of miscalculation if not quality assurance work
Late modifications in the structure means considerable extra work
The result depends on the engineer's skill
7
IWSD M3.4
Handbook calculations
Hints:
Before you make an advanced computing make simple hand
calculations
The earlier in the product development the better it is with hand
calculations
Prior to FE analysis: do hand calculations
Get to know the design by hand calculations to start with


8
IWSD M3.4
Calculations based on design codes and standards
Used:
When a specific industry required a certain method to be used
Example:
Building industry BKR, BSK2007, Eurocode
Bridges Bridge codes, Euro codes
Cranes Crane standard SS-EN 13001
Offshore DNV, among others
Pressure vessles SS-EN 13445
Pipe connections SS-EN 13480
Nuclear industry ASME

9
IWSD M3.4
Advantages:
References in strategic choices
Knowledge based platforms
Systematic and well developed methods
Simplification of complex phenomenon
I general quite easy and straight forward to use (engineering based)
Calculations based on design codes and standards
10
IWSD M3.4
Disadvantages:
Creativity inhibitory
May cause oversized constructions
Sometimes unrecognized safety factors in the norm
Analysis conditions can be difficult to grasp
Standards often change
Dangerous if standards are used outside their validity range
Calculations based on design codes and standards
11
IWSD M3.4
Hints:
Never accept a Cook book of a norm without understanding it
Never mix together several independent standards in the same analysis
Check regularly that the norm is still valid
Always refer to the norm in the analysis (version, etc..)
Standards tend to change frequently
Calculations based on design codes and standards
12
IWSD M3.4

Structured as forms that you must fill in
Often written in a spreadsheet program such as MS Excel or MathCad
Can also be written in a conventional programming languages such as
FORTRAN, C + + or Visual Basic
Spread sheets
Used:
For repeated analyzes of similar types
To save you time instead of manual calculations
For educational purposes (easy to see the impact of alternative
assumptions)
For parametric studies
13
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets
Advantages:
Customized to solve a particular problem
Normally quite easy to work with
Easy to modify
Quick answers
Save time for repeated similar calculations
Suitable for consequence analysis
14
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets
Disadvantages:
Can only follow a predetermined calculation procedure
Requires a lot of discipline at the documentation of results
Problems with the quality assurance
Creativity Inhibiting
15
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets
Literature:
MS Excels manuals
General programmering manuals
Engineering with Excel, 2:nd edition, R.W. Larsen, Montana State
University, Pearson education Inc. New York 2005, ISBN 0-13-147511-8
Engineering with the Spreadsheet. Craig, Christy, ASCE Press , 2005ISBN
0-7844-0827-0

16
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets own developed
Hint:
The spread sheet should be self-explanatory
Fill up with "help buttons" to provide the necessary information
Use a lot of graphics, facilitating understanding and ability to
troubleshoot
Documenting how the calculations are carried out - preferably in the
spread sheet
Facilitate documentation and traceability (revision number)
Enter references, so that you can perform manual checks
Lock the fields that it is useless for users to write in
Example: Analysis and assessment of fatigue data from tests, MS
Excel, Zuheir Barsoum, KTH
17
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets own developed
18
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets own developed
19
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets own developed
20
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets commercial
Exempel :
SAFE (general intelligence in strength calculations)
CUMDAM (culmutive damage calculations) TechStrat, 2007,
www.techstrat.se
Maskinskruv (Analysis of screws VDI 2230), HighTech Engineering
21
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets commercial
Hint:
Perform in-depth inspection of the program before putting it into use
Do either manual calculations and FEM analysis to verify the
spreadsheet program
If the calculations must be approved by a court, so make sure that they
accepts spreadsheet program
You need to understand how the program works. There may never be a
black box
Never accept a result, you do not understand
Document all analyzes closely with project number, name, date and
version of the spreadsheet program
Remember that you can blame the responsibility on to the software
supplier, although there are obvious errors in the program
22
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets open source
Analysis for windows; FEA application for analysis of 2D and 3D frames and
trusses
Free ware, can be downloaded at:
http://www.freebyte.com/cad/fea.htm#fea

23
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets open source
For structural analysis and beam theory: Altas, BeamBoy, Hamlet, etc..
http://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-software/mechanical-
calculators.html
Atlas
BeamBoy
24
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets example #1
Use software Beam Boy to calculate bending moment, stresses and
deflection
25
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets example #2
Use software Atlas to calculate bending moment, stresses and deflection
q = 10 kN/m
F = 20 kN
5 m
2.5 m
4 m
100 mm
100 mm
t = 10 mm
26
IWSD M3.4
Spread sheets example #3

nom

Non-load carrying
cruciform welded
joint, sensitive to weld
toe cracking
Plate thickness = 10 mm
Throat thickness = 7 mm
N (1000)
(MPa)
100
50
30
100 300 500
Total cycles
in block =
900 000
Use IIW recomm. to carry out parametric study of the weld design with
specified load history. Use CumDam spread sheet software to study the
effect of
Load block
Partial safety factors
Improvement techniques, etc
Load spectrum block
27
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
FEM is a numerical method used to solve many engineering problems,
structural mechanics, heat transfer, electromagnetics, fluid mechanics and
also linked assays (e.g. thermal-mechanical)
Finit element mesh v. Mises stress field
Contact pressure between shaft and rotor
3D finite elements
28
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
A simple description: like building Lego
29
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Hint:
Automated, computer-assisted manual calculations
Means that the structure is cut up into a number of "elements."
The elements defined between nodes
Different types of elements
Beam elements
Shell elements
Volume / Solid elements
30
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis - applications
Literature in swedish:
FEM i praktiken, Staffan Sunnersj, Sveriges verkstadsindustriers frlag
Dimensionering av svetsade konstruktioner, Claes Olsson, Sveriges
verkstadsindustrier
Svetsutvrdering med FEM, sa Eriksson, A-M Lignell, Claes Olsson,
Hans Spennare, Sveriges verkstadsindustrie

Could be purshased by Industriliteratur AB in Stockholm
31
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Used:
For complex structures that can not be analyzed analytically or by hand
book calculations
If it is easy to transfer data models from a CAD program
32
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Advantages:
General solutions, not tied to any norm or standard
Ability to solve complex problems
Ability to take into account different physical processes, load
combinations, boundary conditions, etc..
Accurate solutions
Reuse of the FE model for different analyzes
33
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Disadvantages:
Could require large work effort
Requires strong quality assurance to be reliable
Easy to interpreted results wrong
Gives the impression of being more accurate than what is
Harder to get an overview and sense of the design than manual analysis
Expensive software's
34
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis basic steps
Pre processing (Phase #1):
In this phase the problem is described numerically in a discrete form
Definition of geometry, material properties, boundary conditions, loads,
etc
Meshing (discretizing of the geometry by finite elements)
FE model of a bulted joint in pressure vessle;
global model, mesh, element nodes och loads
35
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis basic steps
Processor / Solution phase (Phase #2):
In this phase the analysis type is defined; static, linear/ non-linear,
dynamic, buckling, etc
Other details describing the calculation strategy and solving process
Post processor /Evaluation (Phase #3):
In this phase the results are presented in different forms; graphs,
animations, figures, stress plots, etc...
von Mises equivalent
stress distribution (MPa)
36
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Type of finite elements
1-D (line) element
(spring, rod, beam, pipe elements)
2-D (Plane) element
(Membrane, plates, shells)
3-D (Solid) element
(3D-fields; temperature, displacement, stresses,etc)
37
IWSD M3.4
1 D - elements
Rod and beam elements
Most of the structural analysis can be treated as linear static problems
with the following assupmtions:
Smal deformations
Elastic material behviour
Quasi-static load
Rod element Beam element
38
IWSD M3.4
1 D - elements
Beam elements
Give tge same accuracy/results as analytical handbook solutions
Problem with correct stifness at connecting points
Can take
Tension, compression, bending, shear
Torsion (St Vernant and Vlosov)
Beam element
39
IWSD M3.4
1 D - elements
Beam elements
If the cross sectional centre of gravity and the shear centre do not
coinside, this have to be considered in the model (example, U-beam)

Modelling w/o the connenction
points excentricity
Modelling with the connenction
points excentricity
40
IWSD M3.4
1 D - elements
Beam elements
Evaluation of a welded joint
Bending moment distribution of the
diagonal beam
Detail model of the connection
points
Alternative at large models
41
IWSD M3.4
Example of a truss structure FEA beam elements
E-site Flexenclosure
42
IWSD M3.4
Shell elements
Used often in welded structures
Can handle automatic Vlasov torsion
The shells system line coinside with the steel plates mid line:
Difficult to automatic mesh
Problem with thick plates
Difficult to model fillet welds
Account for singularities ?
5 Degrees of Freedom
43
IWSD M3.4
Shell elements
Triangular
Quadratic
44
IWSD M3.4
Shell elements
disc elements (skivelement)
Plane elements which is loaded and deformed in its own plane
Can distribute
Tension, Compressiom, Shear
Plate element (plattelement)
Can only take bending loads, no tension and compression loads in the
plane
45
IWSD M3.4
Shell elements
A combination of plate-and disc elements
Thin shells
Do not take into account the shear deformation in the thickness direction
(Kirchhoffs plate theory)
Thick shells
Take into account the shear deformation in the thickness direction
(Mindilins plate-theory)
Today thick shells is often used
46
IWSD M3.4
Shell elements
Example of applications
47
IWSD M3.4
Volume elements
Solid volym elements, 3D
3D elastic stress fied Stress strain relation
Strain displacement
Equilibrium
48
IWSD M3.4
Volume elements
Typical 3D solid elements
Tetrahedron (tets) Penta
Hexahedron (brick-element)
Avoid to use linear (base function), 4-
noders, tetra-elements in 3D stress
analysis (not accurate, but OK in static
deformation and/or vibration analysis)
49
IWSD M3.4
Volume elements
3D solid element
Hexahedron (brick-element)
50
IWSD M3.4
Volume elements
3D solid element
Tetrahedron (tetra-element)
51
IWSD M3.4
Volume elements
3D solid element
Easier to use when evaluating welded structures than shell elements
Problem in connection between solid-shell models
Sub modelling when many welds need to be evaluated and in large
models
52
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Consider the problems physical characteristic
Warping of open thin walled profiles ?
Buckling, tilting, column buckling, global buckling ?
Linear or non linear analysis ?
Residual stresses?
Contact problems ? Non linear properties ? Large deformations ?
Fatigue ? Dynamics ? Wave distribution in the material ?
etc..
Simplifications are required !
53
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Critical evaluation of the results
Control of reaction forces
Carry out simple hand calculations in areas of the model which are easy
to control
Present results by the element solution (not by nodal solutions; mean
value)
Study the deformation distribution of the model
Never accept the FE results you do not understand or can explain !
54
IWSD M3.4
Finite element analysis
Exemple of Solvers (FE program)
ADINA, ANSYS, ABAQUS, MSc MARC, NASTRAN,
Integrated systems
IDEAS, ANSYS, MEchaica, Cosmos
Exemple of PRE/POST processors
Patran, Pro-E, Hypermesh
55
IWSD M3.4
Singular points
56
IWSD M3.4
Singular points
57
IWSD M3.4
Singular points
Evaluation of singular points
Never read stresses which are affected
by singular points !
Evaluation of nominal stresses mean
extrapolation of stresses.
58
Example 3.4.1
Calculate the forces in all the elements in the truss system

Hint: All the elements in the truss system only takes tensile or compressive
loads. Static/Force equilibrium in the joints!

Use FEA software Analysis for Windows
P = 10 kN, L = 500 mm
IWSD M3.1