How to apply traction/parallel pressure load on surface in FEMAP?

[Spearpoint Engineer]

Good day, I would like to find out if there is a direct means of applying traction/parallel pressure load onto a surface in FEMAP Platform? I'm using a "direct" term as after an extensive search I concluded that the only way to do this is via "Force per Area" with unit of measure as Newton i.e. not Pa. I also need confirmation of validity on my ultimate conclusion of "Force per Area" as a means to apply this traction pressure. I came across a thread here in this platform where one expert user of FEMAP narrated differences between "Total Force", "Force on Node", "Force per Area". It came out from this thread that "Force per Area" is force on the node multiply by area around it, meaning in my view it's a conversion of pressure load to point load. I then ran a simple test model where I applied "Pressure", "Total Force" & "Force per Area" this time around all normal to surface & results correlated.

 

[rb1957]

what's the difference between applying a force (in N) to an area of default length unit squared, or ...
applying a pressure (in Pa = N/m^2) ?

If you want validity, run a simple test case.

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[Spearpoint Engineer]

@rb1957 to a default area with unit length squared it shouldn't make a difference however to area with any other length squared it will because of the difference in associated figures (N & Pa). I have already done a test model & my ultimate conclusion is that I'm right with applying "Force per Area" for traction pressure is just that it has become a surprise for me have to draw such a conclusion without input from expert users.

 

[rb1957]

apologies, didn't read the last sentence. Your testing pretty much trumps our opinions ! But be careful with tests, like don't make a model 1 m2.

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[Spearpoint Engineer]

@rb1957 thank you so much for prompt feedback. I get what you mean & that's exactly what I have done, I'll revisit my test model.

 

[ThomasH]

What vwersion of Femap are you using?
Last year I had a problem with a model with solid elements. I had pressure loads applied to surfaces and when checking the total load the resuls were completely off. The analysis was correct but the load sum was off. Contact with support proved that a change in the code had gone wrong. In the latest version it is fixed.
I don't know if the info is relevant but I thought I could share it.

Thomas

 

[Spearpoint Engineer]

@ThomasH thanks. I'm on 2301 MP01. My first frustration was that pressure load definition doesn't allow application of component pressure when load is applied to a surface however it does allow component loading when applied to elements expect that it doesn't allow application of variable loading & nature of my load is variable. Then "Force per Area" from my understanding is pressure i.e. Force/Area became an alternative as it allows application of components however I learnt later that "Force per Area" is force localized on the node lying in the node's immediate area implying that I was correlating different parameters (Force to Pressure).