FEMAP v11.2 Analysis Manager & Post-Processing Question

[Burner2k]

Hello,
For an upcoming project, required to familiarize with FEMAP. Its a quite user friendly post & pre-processor compared to PATRAN. I was going through FEMAP demo videos and hit up on an interesting feature. The ability to display beam Shear Force & Bending Moment Diagrams in post-processing for CBAR/CBEAM elements. I believe the ability exists in MSC PATRAN as well but as far as I know, it is only possible with CBAR and not CBEAM elements.

Anyways, my first question is, how do I include more than one constraint set in Analysis Manager? I created a simple cantilever beam and then decided to add another fixed constraint set on the free end effectively making it a fixed-fixed beam. So there are two fixed constraints (lets name it Fixed 1 & Fixed 2). Moved the loading point to some where around middle of the beam's length. When I create a new Analysis, I see only one constraint along with loading set i.e. Fixed 1 with load. Using edit, I can change the constraint set to Fixed 2 or None but there is no option to add the other constraint set so that I can have both Fixed 1 & Fixed 2 with loading. I used multi-set to see if I can achieve the above, but it spit out two cases with each case containing just one constraint & loading.

I am sure I am missing something simple because I can't imagine an advanced software like FEMAP having the inability to do the above.

The second question involves post-processing. I am unable to get a complete i.e. all along the length of the beam, output of the Bending Moment. I am not sure if I am selecting the correct output option. I have tried both Beam End A Plane 1 Moment & Beam End B Plane 1 Moment output options, but get the same results.

Here is a tutorial based on an older FEMAP version (I think) where the output shows complete beam moment diagram.

Would appreciate some guidance on the above.

Thanks in advance,
-Burner

 

[rb1957]

I don't know if this helps, but in model/analysis edit the "boundary conditions" tab and you should see where the constraint set is specified.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[Burner2k]

Found out how to create load cases/combined load in FEMAP. So basically in constraint option (or load option if one requires to set up multiple loads), right click and select New. In the dialog box, select Nastran Combined option and click OK. A new combined set option sub-tree will appear under the Main Load tree. Right click on the recently created combined set and select reference set. A dialog box will open with available constraint sets. Select the ones desired to be included in the analysis and click OK.

Several combined constraints (& loads) sets can be created and these can be added as desired in the Analysis Manager.

I created a bdf file in PATRAN and imported it in to FEMAP. I saw how different options were setup and figured out the above

 

[Burner2k]

I have another question regarding FEMAP.

How do I apply a running load in FEMAP? Lets say I have an edge of a square which sees an uniform axial running load of 100 lbs/in. I selected the elements and tried to apply distributed loads, but FEMAP gives me an error saying that Distributed loads can be applied only on Line elements.

Just to make it clear, I would preferably wish the loads to be applied to the elements rather than to the geometry (curves).

I unable to accomplish the above in FEMAP.

Thx & regards

 

[rb1957]

whilst there are probably many ways to skin this cat ...

if you want to apply a UDL along the edge of a quad, you can always apply it as two nodal loads (or a set of nodal loads over a set of quads).

you could add a dummy beam elements across the nodes ...

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[Burner2k]

Thanks RB1957 for the response.

Patran has an ability to define loading directly on to elements. Just was trying to find out if FEMAP has similar capability.

My question arose from the concern that if I offset the plate elements and if the loads are defined to geometric entity, will FEMAP automatically transfer the loads to the offset elements while writing an input file for Nastran?