Fixed-Free End Conditions

1. Pre-Processing

Purpose: The purpose of pre-processing is to create an FEM model for use in the next step of the
simulation, Solution. It consists of the following sub-steps:
Geometry creation
Material property assignment
Boundary condition specification
Mesh generation.

1.1 Geometry Creation

The purpose of Geometry Creation is to create a geometrical representation of the solid object or
structure to be analyzed in FEM. In SolidWorks such a geometric model is called a part. In this
tutorial, the necessary part has already been created in SolidWorks. The following steps will
open up the part for use in the FEM analysis.

Step 1: Opening the part for simulation. One of the following two options can be used.
o Option1: Double click the following icon to open the embedded part file,
Plain_Column.SLDPRT, in SolidWorks.

Plain_Column.SLDPR
T
Click SolidWorks part file icon to open it ==>

o Option 2: Download the part file Plain_Column.SLDPRT from the web site
http://www.femlearning.org/. Use the File menu in SolidWorks to open the
downloaded part.

The SolidWorks model tree will appear with the given part name at the top. Above the model
tree, there should be various tabs labeled Features, Sketch, etc. If the Simulation tab is not
visible, refer back to steps 1 and 2 in order to enable the SolidWorks Simulation package.

Step 2: Creating a Study

o Click the Simulation tab above the model tree

o Under the drop-down menu select New Study

o In the box under Name type in Plain Column Buckling Study
o Select Buckling underneath Type as in Figure 1

o Click to create the study

Figure 1: Creating a buckling study

1.2 Material Property Assignment

The next step in FEM analysis is to apply the material properties to the column. The material is
given in the problem as AISI 304 and the SolidWorks libraries can be used to apply the material
properties.

Step 3: Applying the material

o Select in the upper left hand corner of the Simulation ribbon

o In left-hand section, expand the SolidWorks Materials folder
o Expand the Steel section and choose AISI 304
o Make sure the Linear Elastic Isotropic option is selected under Model Type
and units are in SI
o Verify the settings with Figure 2 and click OK

Figure 2: Material property manager in SolidWorks

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1.3 Boundary Condition Specification

Since this is a buckling study, the boundary conditions will consist of fixed and/or pinned
connections of the column known as fixtures. The following steps will apply the different end
conditions to the column using fixtures.

The first step will be to apply the boundary conditions for the column with fixed-free end
conditions. Because the top end of the column is free, only one fixture will be applied to the
bottom face of the column for this study.

Step 4: Applying the fixed end condition to the bottom face

o Click on the icon in the upper left corner of the simulation ribbon to drop
down the fixture menu
o Select Fixed Geometry
o With the colored box highlighted, select the lower face of the column as seen in
Figure 3
o Click to create the fixed boundary condition

Figure 3: Applying a fixed boundary condition

The next step is to load the column with the designated pressure load. Due to the nature of
columns, the pressure load will be applied to the top face of the column.
 Step 5: Applying the pressure load

o Click on the icon in the upper left corner of the simulation ribbon to drop
down the external load menu
o Select Pressure
o With the colored box highlighted, select the upper face of the column as seen in
Figure 4
o Ensure that units of N/mm^2 (MPa) are selected and enter 10 for the magnitude
o If necessary, check the Reverse direction box such that the arrows are pointing
down on the top face
o Click to create the pressure load

Figure 4: Applying the pressure load

1.4 Mesh Generation

Purpose: The purpose of the Mesh Generation sub-step is to discretize the part into elements.
The mesh consists of a network of these elements. Because a fine mesh is not needed in this
example, large element sizes will be used to decrease the required solver running time.

Step 6: Meshing the model

o Right click on the icon in the model tree

o Select Create Mesh
o Drag the mesh density bar to the Coarse setting as shown in Figure 5

o Click to create the mesh

 Figure 5: Meshing the model

2. Solution

Purpose: The Solution is the step where the computer solves the simulation problem and
generates results for use in the Post-Processing step.

Step 1: Running the simulation

o Within the simulation ribbon, click

o When the analysis is finished, the icon will appear on the model tree

3. Post-Processing

Purpose: The purpose of the Post-Processing step is to process the results of interest. For this
problem, the buckling load factor (BLF) will need to be acquired in order to calculate the critical
pressure load of the column. This BLF value can also help describe the presence of buckling in
the column. The following table is SolidWorks interpretation of possible BLF values.

BLF Value Buckling Status Notes

The applied loads are less than the estimated critical
1 < BLF Buckling not predicted
loads. Buckling is not expected.
The applied loads exceed the estimated critical loads.
0 < BLF < 1 Buckling predicted
Buckling is expected.
The applied loads are exactly equal to the estimated
BLF = 1 Buckling predicted
critical loads. Buckling is expected.
The buckling occurs when the directions of the applied
loads are all reversed. For example, if a bar is under
BLF = -1 Buckling not predicted
tensile load, the BLF should be negative. The bar will
never buckle.
-1 < BLF < 0 Buckling not predicted Buckling is predicted if you reverse all loads.
BLF < -1 Buckling not predicted Buckling is not expected even if you reverse all loads.
SolidWorks makes it very easy to acquire the BLF of any loaded part. Follow the next step in
order to observe this data.

Step 1: Displaying the Buckling Load Factor

o Right click on the icon in the model tree
o Select List Buckling Load Factors
o Observe the BLF value
o Select Save to save the BLF value

Now that the buckling load factor has been determined, it can be used to calculate the critical
load of the column. In order to do this, simply multiply the BLF by the applied load. This will
give the critical load of the column. Therefore:

 


4. Validation

Purpose: The purpose of the Validation step is to compare FEM solutions with analytical
solutions, or known published results, to validate the correctness of the FEM model.

To check the validity of the SolidWorks answers, hand calculations must be carried out to
determine the theoretical critical/buckling load of the column. Eulers formula will be used to
carry out these calculations. This formula is as follows:

 
 


Where C is the end condition constant, E is the materials modulus of elasticity, I is the second
moment of inertia (or area moment of inertia), l is the column length, and A is the cross-sectional
area. The end condition constant C can be determined from the table below.

Column End Theoretical Conservative Recommended

Conditions Value Value Value
Fixed - Free
Fixed - Fixed 4 1 1.2
Fixed - Pinned 2 1 1.2
Pinned - Pinned 1 1 1

From this table, it can be determined that the end condition constant C has a value of for the
fixed-free boundary conditions. The modulus of elasticity (E) value for AISI 304 steel is also
defined as 193 GPa while the length of the column is given in the problem statement as 3.5 m.
The columns area moment of inertia (I) is calculated by the equation:

 
Where b is the base dimension and h is the height dimension of a rectangular cross-section.
Because the column has a square cross section, b = h = 100 mm. Therefore:

  

Therefore, the critical pressure load can be calculated as:

  
   

  

The SolidWorks and hand calculated results are shown in the below table along with the percent
difference in results.

SolidWorks Hand Calculations Percent Difference

Pcr 31.93 32.40 -1.45%