FEA Question

[ccamp]

In looking at stresses on a plastic material in FEA, do you use the von mises or max principal as your stress criteria?

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Do you mean plastic in the sense of an organic material, or do you mean a material in a plastic condition ? If its the former, and exhibits brittle failure, I would say Max. Principal. If it exhibits ductile failure, I would say Von Mises. Both types of failure can occur with plastics, but don't ask me which ones occur with which materials and conditions of loading.

 

[jimbo]

Suggest you post in an FEA Forum. There are several.