Exercise: Cantilever Plate

Problem description:
Analyze the following cantilever steel plate structure in CivilFEM and verify the result with
written calculation. The steel plate is fixed at one end.

3
=
3

Exercise: Cantilever Plate

Problem description (Cont.):

Dimensions:
L= 100.0 in
W = 25.0 in
t = 1 in

Material properties:
Grade 43 Steel (BS 5950)
E = 30.46 x 106 psi
= 0.3
= 0.2836 lb/in3
Loads:
P= 100 lbf
Units and model tips:
Imperial Units (inches)
Shell structural elements

Exercise: Cantilever Plate

Suggested Steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

Create a new model.

Set units.
Create geometry surface.
Create material.
Create structural element.
Create mesh.
Apply loads.
Create the boundary conditions.
Create the load case.
Solve model.
Postprocess results.

Step 1: Create a New Model

a

Create a working directory and

save the model inside it:
a)
b)
c)
d)

Click CivilFEM button.

Select Save as
Enter the Name.
Click on Save.

Step 2: Set Units

Set the units of the model :

a) Click Units.
b) Select Imperial units (inches).

Step 3: Create Geometry Surface

a

Create the surface:

c

d
e
f

a) Click Geometry tab.

b) Select Quad (P,P,P,P) as
Quadrilateral option.
c) Leave (0,0,0) as Point1.
d) Enter (100,0,0) for Point2.
e) Enter (100,25,0) for Point3.
f) Enter (0,25,0) for Point4.
g) Check quadrilateral created.

Step 3: Create Geometry Surface

View Geometry labels:
Pick the surface and a new contextual menu appears: Geometric entity.
a) Check Name.
b) Set Translucent view.

c) Uncheck Name and check Auxiliar

c

Auxiliar entities ($) are the lower entities

automatically created (curves, points)
associated with the higher entity created
(surface).

Step 4: Create Material

a

c
d

Create the steel material:

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

Click Model tab.

Click Steel.
Select BS 5950 for Code or Standard.
Select Grade 43 for Name.
Check the properties of the material.
Note that the material created is active.

Step 5: Create Structural Element

Create the structural elements:
a

d
e

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)

Click Mesh tab.

Click Shell.
Enter Steel Plate for Name.
Enter 1.0 in for Thickness.
Select Surface for Geometry.
Expand Mesh controls.
Select Edge length as Control.
Expand Parameters and select
Quadrangle as Element Type.
i) Enter 5.0 in for Edges size.
g
h
i

Step 6: Create Mesh

Create the mesh:
a

a) Click Mesh.
b) Select Yes to save the model.
c) Check the number of nodes and
elements within the Output window.

10

Step 7: Apply Loads

a
b

Define the linear load

a)
b)
c)
d)

f
g

e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

Click Loads tab.

Click Load group.
Enter Linear Load at Tip as Name.
Select the Load group within Entities
window.
Click Linear load.
Select Steel Plate as Structural element.
Enter (0,0,-1) as Direction.
Enter 100 lbf for Load.
Select $Curve (4) for Line.

h
i

11

Step 7: Apply Loads

a
b

Plot the linear load

c

a) Click on Loads tab and

within Plot pull down Linear
Load at Tip.
b) Check On mesh.
c) Load vectors and its location
appear in Graphics window.

Direction is in square brackets because

load direction is parallel to the load
coordinate system, NOT TO GLOBAL.

12

Step 8: Create Boundary Conditions

a

Define the boundary conditions

c

d
e

a) Click Boundary Cond. Group within

Loads tab
b) Enter Boundary conditions group for
Name.
c) Click Linear within simple B.C.
d) Select Steel Plate for Structural
element.
e) Constrain all DOFs.
f) Select $Curve (2) for Line.

13

Step 8: Create Boundary Conditions

View the applied B.C.

a) Click Loads tab and within Plot group select B.C group in drop-down list.
b) Constraints and their location appear in graphics window.

14

Step 9: Create Load Case

Create Load case
a) Click Load case within
Loads tab.
b) Enter Linear Load+ SW as
Name.
c) Click Add Load.
d) Choose Linear Load at Tip
for Group of Loads. Leave
factor 1.0.
e) Repeat the process to add
Gravity.

d
c

15

Step 9: Create Load Case

Create Load case (Cont.)
g) Add boundary cond. to load case.
h) Choose the B.C group to be added
in the drop-down list.
i) Load Case definition is completed.

16

Step 9: Create Load Case

Check the load case created
a) Click Loads tab and within
Plot group select Linear
Load at Tip + SW in Load
case drop-down list.
b) Check Load groups and
B.C. associated to this
load case.

17

Step 10: Solve the Model

Run Linear Static Analysis
A single load case is going to be solved, therefore one result file is going to
be generated (.RCF files). No solution controls are needed for a linear static analysis.
a) Click on Solve tab and check Configuration
Options.
b) Leave Global solution controls by default.
c) Click Start to begin the solving process
(Model must be saved).
d) Check for warnings or errors in Output
window.

d
c

18

Step 11: Postprocess Results

Read results of Load Case
If no errors appear the next step is to read the results.
a) Click on Results tab and Load file
corresponding to solved load case.
b) Search for .RCF files within working folder.
c) Open Linear Load at Tip + SW.
d) Groups of Results tab are now available.

19

Step 11: Postprocess Results

Plot results of Load Case

Plot Bending Moment about Y-axis.

a) Select End Results and Bending
moment force per unit width about
local Y- axis from Result drop-down
list.
b) Click on Plot button.
c) See results in Graphics window. Plot
Deformed shape.

20

Step 11: Postprocess Results

Plot results of Load Case
a

Plot Bending Moment about X-axis.

a) Select Bending moment force per unit
width about local X- axis from Result
drop-down list.
b) Click on Plot button.
c) See results in Graphics window. Plot
the Deformed shape.

21

Step 11: Postprocess Results

Plot results of Load Case
Plot Transverse shear force.

22

Step 11: Postprocess Results

Plot results of Load Case
Plot X-component of stress (ksi units).
a) Select Element Results and X
component of stress from Result
drop-down list.
b) Click on Plot button.
c) See results in Graphics window. Plot
the Deformed shape.

23

Step 11: Postprocess Results

Plot results of Load Case

Plot Vertical Displacement.

a) Select Node results and Z-component
of displacement from Result dropdown list.
b) Click on Plot button.
c) See results in Graphics window. Plot
both the Deformed and the
Undeformed shape.

24

Step 11: Postprocess Results

a

Postprocess results (Cont.) :

a) Click on List icon.
b) Listed results appear on List tab.
c) Check the value of the of the maximum
displacement on tip nodes.
d) Compare this value with the analytical
value obtained by written calculation.

3
100 25 1003
=
=
= 13.133
3 3 3.04579 107 1 25 13
12

Note: If mesh is refined, the results will be more

accurate.

25