2016 3rd International Conference on Smart Materials and Nanotechnology in Engineering (SMNE 2016)

ISBN: 978-1-60595-338-0

Parameter Optimization for H-beams Based on ANSYS

Workbench DX
He Wu, Yongxi Li
COSCO Logistics Engineering Division of Guangzhou, China

ABSTRACT: Nuclear power equipment has high value, heavy weight and small size, general designed two
saddles for supporting. Due to the restrictions of deck strength, maritime transport requires H-beams to
distributed load. This paper based on real transportation instance, use ANSYS Workbench and its DX module
to get an optimal model including H-beam section parameters and H-beam distribution parameters under the
premise of meet the ship's deck strength and H-beam strength, stiffness. The final model had used in actual
transportation which testified the method right. The optimal mode provides technical support for
transportation safety.

1 INSTRUCTIONS satisfy the deck strength requirement, each saddle

preliminary use 9x12m-HW400x400 H-beams to
Ansys Workbench Environment (AWE) has a highly distribute load. The preliminary H-beams distribute
integrated with CAD software design process, its parameters shown in Figure1.
underlying Design Exploration module provides a
perfect solution for the optimization design. There
are five tools in DX which are Direct Optimization,
Goal Driven Optimization, Parameters Correlation,
Response Surface and Sigma Analysis. [1]
Optimization design is by finite element analysis
and calculation of successive, according to certain
search strategy, based on the analysis and Figure 1. The preliminary H-beams distribute parameters.
comparison of the calculation results, according to
the requirements of strength, stiffness and stability, Section parameters of H-beams are shown in
to modify the original plan, and then obtain the Figure 2.
reasonable distribution of stress and deformation, so
as to seek approximate optimal solution. [2]
Used Ansys Workbench DX to optimize product
design general include following steps: modeling -
add dimension parameters, adding material
properties, meshing, add load and constraint, the
finite element analysis, definition of target
parameters and status parameters, optimal solution,
the comparison and verification.
Figure 2. Section parameters for H-beams.
2 SET UP 3D MODEL FOR TRANSPORTATION
INSTANCE HW400x400 Parameters are as follows:
H=400mm, B=400mm, t1=13mm, t2=21mm,
r=24mm. [2]
2.1 Modeling parameters
2.2 Set up 3D model
Equipment dimension (Length x Width x Height):
24800x7000x6122mm, Equipment weight: 561 t, the Due to the distance to the center of gravity closer to
bottom of saddle size (Length x Width): 7000 x1200 H-beam stress is larger, so establish 3D modeling
mm, the distance between the center of gravity and with the distance to the center of gravity closer to H-
two saddles are: 7244.5, 6455.5 mm. beam. This paper directly uses the DM module to
Cargo was stowage on the second floor of heavy establish 3D model which shown in figure 3. The
lift ship; deck strength is 4t/m2. [3] In order to
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saddle and H-beam contact using Print Face
processing, convenient behind loading constraint.

Figure 4. Static Structural Analysis result-The maximum

directional (Y) deformation.

Figure 3. 3D model for H-beams.

2.3 Definition target parameters and status
parameters
Definition H-beam section parameters H, B, t1, t2
and distribution parameters D1, D2, D3 and H-beam
number N as status parameters. Definition minimum
safety factor P6 and maximum directional (Y) Figure 5. Static Structural Analysis result-The minimum safety
deformation P5 as target parameters. factor.

3 SET UP FINITE ELEMENT MODEL AND 4 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN H-BEAM

STATIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS [4] PARAMETERS AND DEFORMATION

3.1 Set up finite element model 4.1 The relationship between H-beam section
parameters and deformation
First of all, gives model material property. Select
material as structural steel which properties are as Keep distribution parameters D1, D2, D3 and H-
follows: beam number N unchanged. Select 2 sets of
Young’s Modulus = 2.0 e5 MPa, Poisson’s Ratio parameters compared, the results shown in the
= 0.3, Yield Strength =250 MPa. following table1.
Secondly, carries on the automatic meshing.
Finally, applies load and support constraints as Table 1. Parameters comparison for H-beam.
follows: H-beam Section Section maximum safety
The contact surface between H-beams and parameters modulus deformation factor
saddle will be applied under pressure 297.8 e4N H,B,t1,t2 WX P5 P6
which perpendicular to the surface. The contact mm cm3 mm
surface between H-beams and ship's deck will be HW 400/400/ 3340 31.9 1.56
applied pressure 297.8 e4 N which perpendicular to 400x400 13/21
the surface. H-beam at the bottom of the Saddle HM 488/300/ 2930 31 1.37
(Print Face section) can't move in the plane of the 500x300 11/18
horizon compared other section, so set the
displacement constraints is: Displacement of Y Through the above analysis, we can get the
Component is 0, Displacement of X Component is following conclusion:
Free, and Displacement of Z Component is Free. H-beam Section modulus WX have a Direct
proportion relationship with safety factor.
3.2 Static Structural analysis
4.2 The relationship between H-beam distribution
Through ANSYS Workbench solving, get the result parameters and deformation
as follows:
The minimum safety factor P6 is 1.56, and the First of all, Keep H-beam parameters H, B, t1, t2and
maximum directional (Y) deformation P5 is H-beam number N unchanged.Selected 4 H-beam
32mm.Analysis result shown in figure 4&5. distribution sample points: Parameters and the
results are in Figure 6.

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Figure 6. H-beam distribution parameters and the results for
sample points.
Secondly, input parameters range of H-beam
～
distribution in design experiments and update.
～ ～
Parameter D1 range is 750 900, Parameter D2
range is 675 900, Parameter D3 range is750 900.
Finally, get charts of various parameters influence
on the deformation. The charts are shown in Figure
7&8.
Figure 7(a). The relationship of D1and P5.
Figure 7(b). The relationship of D2and P5.
Figure 7(c). The relationship of D3and P5.
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Figure 7(d). The relationship of D1&D3 and P5
Figure 8. Sensitivity curve about H-beam distribution
parameters.
Through the above analysis, we can get the
following conclusion:
(1) Due to the deck strength and saddle length
limit, the total width of H-beam distribution
is not more than saddle length, otherwise
deformation will increase markedly.
(2) In a certain range, the H-beam distribution
parameters D1, D2, D3 have no significant
influence on the deformation.
4.3 The relationship between H-beam number and
deformation
According to 4.2 analysis result, in a certain range
H-beam distribution parameters hardly influenced
deformation. So selected 11 H-beam to distribute
load, parameters D1, D2, D3 is 750,600,750mm.
Modeling and do Static Structural analysis get the
minimum safety factor P6 is 1.87, and the maximum
directional (Y) deformation P5 is 26.2mm.The result
are shown in Figure 9&10 .
Figure 9. Static Structural Analysis result-The maximum
directional (Y) deformation t.
 Figure 11. The final H-beams distribute parameters.
Figure 10. Static Structural Analysis result-The minimum safety
factor. The real transport instance is shown in Figure 12.
Through the above analysis, we can get the
following conclusion:
H-beam numbers have a direct proportion
relationship with safety factor, and an inverse
proportion relationship with deformation.

5 PARAMETER COMPARISON AND SELECT

THE OPTIMAL MODEL

Through the above analysis, select 4 sets of

parameters compared, the results shown in the
following table2.

Table 2. Parameters comparison for Figure 12. The real transport instance .
different models.
H-beam H-beam Distribution maximum safety
number parameters deformation factor 6 CONCLUSIONS
N D1,D2,D3 P5 P6
mm mm This paper uses ANSYS Workbench and its DX
HW 9 850/750x6/8 31.9 1.56 module through comparison and verification get an
400x400 50 optimal model that provided technical support for
HM 9 850/750x6/8 31 1.37 transportation safety. Through comparison and
500x300 50 verification, we get the relationship between H-beam
HW 11 750/600x8/7 26.2 1.86 parameters and deformation, which was useful for
400x400 50 select H-beam used to distributed load.
HM 11 750/600x8/7 25.2 1.67 In the future maritime transport for heavy Nuclear
500x300 50 power equipment, we can use ANSYS Workbench
analysis H-beam static structural and also do
Through the above comparison, we can see there Optimization design for equipment saddles.
are 3 set parameters which safety factor P6>1.5.
Except the second set other parameters meet the
requirements of the H-beam strength. Due to P6of REFERENCES
the third set is bigger, so we select the third set as the
optimal model. The final H-beams distribute [1] ANSYS WORKBENCH 15.0 Reference Manual.
[2] Mechanics of materials,Higher Education PressChina,2004.
parameters are shown in figure11. [3] Ship Principle,Shanghaijiaotong University press, China,
2003 .
[4] Taidong Cha,Ping Yang,Optimization design for fixed
bracket Based on AnsysWorkbench, Coal Mine Machinery,
VOL. 33, NO. 02, Feb 2012.

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